When you suffer a spine injury in an accident, doctors eventually assess whether you've reached maximum medical improvement. That's when your condition has stabilized, and further treatment won't significantly change things. After you hit this milestone, a physician assigns what's called a permanent disability rating or impairment rating. This rating becomes hugely important in determining your compensation. We've seen firsthand at Herschensohn Law Firm, PLLC, how these ratings directly impact settlement negotiations and jury verdicts. Understanding how they work helps you grasp what you're actually entitled to after a serious spine injury.
What A Permanent Disability Rating Is
A permanent disability rating expresses the extent of your lasting physical impairment as a percentage. If you've got a 10% rating, you've lost 10% of normal spine function. A 50% rating? That indicates far more severe limitations. The American Medical Association's Guides to the Evaluation of Permanent Impairment provides standardized criteria for assessing spine injuries. Washington State workers' compensation claims reference these guidelines. Though personal injury cases allow for additional considerations beyond just the rating itself.
How Doctors Calculate Spine Injury Ratings
The evaluation process involves multiple factors:
- Range of motion limitations in your neck or back
- Muscle weakness or atrophy
- Nerve damage affecting sensation or motor function
- Loss of reflexes
- Chronic pain levels
- Need for ongoing medical treatment
Your doctor reviews imaging studies like MRIs and CT scans, performs physical examinations, and documents how the injury affects your daily activities. They're looking at objective medical evidence, not just your pain complaints. For spinal cord injuries specifically, doctors assess the level of injury and whether it's complete or incomplete. A Seattle spinal cord injury attorney can explain how different impairment levels translate to actual compensation values in Washington personal injury cases.
Why These Ratings Matter For Your Claim
Insurance companies pay close attention to permanent disability ratings. They view them as an objective measure of your injury's severity. A higher rating typically justifies a larger settlement demand, which makes sense on paper. The rating isn’t the only thing that matters, though. A 15% impairment rating might sound modest. Yet if you're a construction worker who can't perform physical labor anymore, that rating represents devastating financial losses. Your age matters. Your occupation matters. Your life circumstances all factor into the true value of your claim.
We've represented clients with seemingly similar ratings who received vastly different compensation amounts. The difference often comes down to how effectively we present the real-world impact of their spine injuries. Numbers on a page don't capture what it's like when you can't pick up your kids or return to the career you've built over decades.
Common Rating Ranges For Spine Injuries
Different types of spine damage result in different impairment percentages. Herniated discs with nerve compression might result in ratings between 5% and 15%. Spinal fusion surgery often leads to ratings of 15% to 25% or higher, depending on how many vertebrae get fused. Incomplete spinal cord injuries can range from 25% to 75%. Complete paralysis typically results in ratings of 75% to 100%. These are general ranges, and individual cases vary based on specific medical findings.
Challenging Low Or Unfair Ratings
Sometimes the initial rating doesn't accurately reflect your condition. You've got the right to seek a second opinion from another qualified physician. Insurance companies occasionally push for independent medical examinations that are designed to minimize your impairment rating. We've seen it happen repeatedly. A Seattle spinal cord injury attorney can help you understand whether a rating seems unreasonably low and what steps to take next. We work with medical professionals who thoroughly evaluate spine injuries and provide well-supported opinions that hold up under scrutiny.
Don't accept the insurance company's first offer without legal guidance if you've received a permanent disability rating after a spine injury caused by someone else's negligence. Your rating helps establish the foundation for fair compensation, but getting what you truly deserve requires understanding how to build a comprehensive claim around that rating.
