Criteria for Converting Whole Person Impairment to Regional Spine Impairment Using the AMA Guides, Fifth
Question: Recently, in California applicant attorneys are encouraging physicians to use Figure 15-19, Side View of Spinal Column (5th ed, 427) in Section 15.13, Criteria for Converting Whole Person Impairment to Regional Impairment (5th ed, 427) to convert a physician's estimate of loss of function of the spine into a whole person rating. A February 7, 2011, California Workers' Compensation Appeals Board panel decision in the case of Laury v. R&W Concrete Contractors (Case No. ADJ3400378) based impairment on a physician's clinical estimate of a 60% loss of use of the lumbar spine. This estimated impairment loss was multiplied by 90% (the relationship with the Range of Motion (ROM) method that a whole person estimate is converted into a regional impairment should occur...
