American Medical Association (AMA) Guides
Definition
The American Medical Association (AMA) Guides to the Evaluation of Permanent Impairment is the standard reference used by physicians to assess and rate permanent physical impairments resulting from injuries or illnesses. The Guides provide objective criteria and methodologies—including range of motion measurements using inclinometers and goniometers—to calculate impairment ratings expressed as a percentage of whole body impairment. These ratings translate subjective pain and limitation into standardized, defensible medical opinions.
How It’s Used in Personal Injury Cases
AMA impairment ratings are crucial in personal injury cases because they provide objective evidence of permanent injury. When your treating physician assigns a 5% or 10% whole body impairment rating based on the AMA Guides, this transforms subjective complaints of pain into documented, measurable disability. Insurance companies and defense attorneys find it much harder to dismiss claims supported by AMA-based impairment ratings. The Guides are particularly valuable for soft tissue injuries—neck and back strains that don’t show up on X-rays—where establishing permanent damage can be challenging.
Practical Example
Following a rear-end collision, you continue to experience neck pain and limited range of motion despite months of treatment. Your physician performs a range of motion examination using an inclinometer, documenting specific limitations in flexion, extension, and rotation. Referring to the AMA Guides’ tables for cervical spine impairment, the physician calculates a 5% whole person impairment rating. The insurance company’s independent medical examiner claims only 2-3% impairment, but your physician demonstrates that the Guides don’t allow for such interpolation—the rating must be either 5% (for documented impairment) or 0% (for no impairment). This objective methodology supports your claim for permanent injury damages.
Why It Matters to Your Case
AMA impairment ratings significantly strengthen personal injury claims by converting subjective pain complaints into objective medical findings. Establishing permanent impairment justifies compensation for future pain and suffering, reduced quality of life, and potentially diminished earning capacity. The AMA Guides’ recognition that chronic pain results in impairment, disability, and handicap provides medical authority for long-term soft tissue injury claims that insurance companies often try to minimize. Having your treating physician document impairment using these standardized AMA Guides creates powerful evidence for settlement negotiations or trial.
Key Takeaway
The AMA Guides to the Evaluation of Permanent Impairment provide standardized criteria for rating permanent injuries. Having your physician document impairment according to these guides creates objective medical evidence that strengthens your claim for permanent injury damages.