Master the Whole Body Impairment Rating Chart in 4 Simple Steps

Introduction

The whole body impairment rating for a work place injury is critical to the amount of work injury benefits that an injured worker will receive for their work place injury. The information contained in an impairment rating chart can be overwhelming and can present many challenges during an assessment.

How to deal with the information from an impairment rating chart in order to receive the proper work injury benefits?

Understand Whole Body Impairment Ratings

The whole body impairment rating chart is very confusing. Many of the ratings are very important in order to receive the proper amount of support and disability and financial compensation for individuals that have been injured. The WBI score takes into account how an injury will affect the entire body and how it will affect an individual’s function as a whole. Understanding the whole body impairment rating chart is very important for individuals that have been injured as well as their legal representation.

Access and Interpret the Impairment Rating Chart

Have you been confused about the way your workplace injury is to be compensated? In order to determine your full body impairment your state likely uses a whole body impairment rating chart for your state found on your state's workers' compensation board's website or elsewhere on the web. We will cover each step to figuring out your body impairment rating.

1. Identify the Body Part: Use the table above to locate the Impairment associated with the body part(s) affected by the injury. Most of the Impairment charts identify specific amounts of impairment for various parts of the body.
2. Review the disability percentages for the corresponding body parts to arrive at a total whole body permanent partial disability rating. Using the chart above as an example, the minor finger amputation would be rated at 5% disability while a serious back injury would likely be rated at 30% or greater disability. Again, refer to the whole body impairment rating chart for the proper compensation period for different types of injuries such as 200 weeks for complete loss of a hand.
3. Special Circumstances - age, work, pre-existing conditions, etc. - which affect impairment rating(s) in some of the charts. As always, a disability assessment cannot be completed until the worker’s condition has reached a fixed state and can get no better - i.e. when the worker is at Maximum Medical Improvement (MMI).
4. Document Your Body Parts: It is very important that you keep a running log of each body part that you feel you have lost some function and the degree of loss for each. The log will be an essential document to refer to in the assessment of benefits to your work injury and will help you ensure that all of your impairments are accurately assessed. Further, if you feel that your doctor has under stated your degree of impairment, you have a right to a second opinion.
5. Understand how your benefits will be affected: In accepting your impairment rating(s) for your body part(s) you may be giving up future medical treatment for that part of your body. It is wise to place a value on future medical treatment for that body part prior to settling your claim for that body part.

As a recent immigrant, you may feel intimidated when dealing with workers’ compensation to receive proper medical treatment and fairly receive compensation for your work-related injuries. With many years of experience handling only workers’ compensation cases, we have the expertise to represent you 24/7 in English and Spanish. Contact us for a FREE consultation to discuss your case.

Calculate Impairment Percentages Using the Chart

Disability assessments can be confusing and awkward to deal with and we will guide you through the whole process.

Make a list of your medical records and make sure you have all the evidence needed to claim disability benefits as an injured worker.

Ensure your injuries have reached a point of stabilization and you have reached Maximum Medical Improvement (MMI).

Note: The percentage disability assessed to your knee injury will also determine the amount of compensation for his/her injury. In the example above a 20% disability to the knee would attract compensation for this portion of his/her overall injury.

When considering a number of injuries which have occurred in separate incidents, each injury will have been assessed on an individual basis using the same scale to measure disability. This means that each of those percentages will have to be taken into account when calculating the combined percentage for all of your injuries. The following chart outlines the combined values for different percentages of injury.

Don’t forget the percentage that you have been assessed with. Remember that an injured worker is currently receiving three weeks of Income Benefits (IIBs) per 1% disability assessed for their injury. Rights of the injured worker in respect to a workplace injury where fault is not an issue need to be made aware.

If you feel that your assessment has failed to properly reflect your injury or the resulting amount of disability then your assessment can be contested by written correspondence within 90 days of the assessment. We would robustly argue your case to try to achieve a fair result. In many cases, we would represent you in contesting a claim decision and this can often be necessary if your claim is refused.

Address Challenges in Impairment Rating Assessments

Need help with your Impairment Rating Assessment?

1. Request an Alternative Assessment: If you have any concerns with your first Impairment Rating assessment, you may have an Alternative Assessment performed by another expert (generally a Medical Examiner) as permitted by statute. This assessment may more accurately determine your degree of work-related impairment than your first assessment. The Impairment Rating assessments (utilized in accordance with the Whole Body Impairment Rating Formula Chart, WBIRFCH) express the degree of work-related impairment suffered by an injured worker in terms of a percentage of impairment of maximum potential function which translates to the worker’s degree of work-related medical impairment and resulting reduction in ability to perform work as compared to his or her pre-injury work capabilities.
2. Document Everything: Write down and keep a record of every single one of your medical treatments and all of your communications with your insurance company. Such documentation can be very useful to contest an Impairment Income Benefits evaluation and to present proof and supporting evidence of the degree of symptoms, test results, treatment limitations and work limitations that affect you in your daily life. Such factors are used in rating your whole body impairment and in creating your WBIRFCH Impairment Rating Chart.
3. Get a Workers’ Compensation Lawyer: The team at Vasquez Law Firm consists of the best workers’ compensation lawyers in San Antonio that can help with Disability Assessments. If you are unsure about the numbers from your Disability Assessment then get a workers’ compensation lawyer to represent you. Vasquez Law Firm is here to fight for you to get the workers’ compensation benefits you are entitled to. We can explain the benefits you are entitled to, represent you at your hearing, and even help prepare you for your hearing. We can explain how the Impairment Income Benefits (IIBs) are calculated for each percentage point of disability assessment (i.e. 3 weeks of benefits for every percentage point of disability assessment).
4. Don’t let your rights to benefits in a work injury case expire in a few seconds: You only have 90 days to contest a work injury disability assessment. If you wait even a few seconds, you will lose your right to contest the assessment and the benefits that you are entitled to receive as a result of your work injury. So mark the date on your calendar and act promptly.
5. Be Prepared for Your Independent Medical Examinations (IMEs): Vasquez Law Firm represents workers who have suffered work injuries and are seeking just compensation and proper medical treatment for their work injuries. We can help prepare you for your Independent Medical Examinations (IMEs) and make sure that all of your previous medical treatment is brought to the examiner’s attention along with an explanation of your current injuries and how they affect you.

Conclusion

Navigating the complicated process to receive proper compensation for work-related injuries can be a difficult and frustrating process. To ensure each injury is accurately evaluated, please review the chart below outlining the necessary steps. By learning how the whole body impairment rating chart correlates with the rating of each body part, you will be better equipped to negotiate the proper benefits for your injury.

In addition to negotiating proper benefits for your current condition, it is also important to document the extent of your injuries and understand how your impairment ratings will affect future medical care. You don’t have to navigate the complicated process of your workers’ compensation claim alone.

Let us empower you by mastering the whole body impairment rating chart and negotiating your benefits for your work-related injury. If you need help along the way, please contact the Vasquez Law Firm to represent you in your workers’ compensation claim.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a whole body impairment rating (WBI)?

A whole body impairment rating (WBI) is a score that assesses how an injury affects the entire body and an individual's overall function.

Why is the whole body impairment rating important?

The whole body impairment rating is crucial for individuals who have been injured as it helps determine the appropriate level of support, disability, and financial compensation they may receive.

Who should understand the whole body impairment rating chart?

It is important for both individuals who have been injured and their legal representation to understand the whole body impairment rating chart to ensure they receive the proper compensation and support.

What does the whole body impairment rating chart include?

The whole body impairment rating chart includes various ratings that reflect the impact of injuries on overall body function, which can be complex and confusing.

List of Sources

1. Understand Whole Body Impairment Ratings
   • Impairment income benefits (IIBs) (https://tdi.texas.gov/wc/employee/impairmentben.html)
   • Chapter 2-1300 Impairment Ratings (https://dol.gov/agencies/owcp/energy/regs/compliance/PolicyandProcedures/proceduremanualhtml/unifiedpm/Unifiedpm_part2/Chapter2-1300ImpairmentRatings)
   • Understanding Impairment Ratings (https://occupro.net/resources/newsroom/blogs/occupro/2024/01/18/understanding-impairment-ratings)
2. Access and Interpret the Impairment Rating Chart
   • Off The Record - Workers' Comp - Impairment Guidelines - Turley Redmond & Rosasco, L.L.P. (https://nydisabilitylaw.com/news-resources/video-center/off-the-record-workers-comp-impairment-guidelines)
   • NC Workers' Compensation Settlement Chart - NC Worker Comp (https://ncworkercomp.com/nc-workers-compensation-settlement-chart)
   • What North Carolina Workers’ Comp Impairment Ratings Mean For Your Case (https://jglawnc.com/nc-workers-comp-impairment-rating-guide)
   • Understanding Impairment Ratings (https://occupro.net/resources/newsroom/blogs/occupro/2024/01/18/understanding-impairment-ratings)
   • How Are Impairment Ratings Calculated in North Carolina? - EMP Law Firm (https://emplawfirm.com/how-are-impairment-ratings-calculated-north-carolina)
3. Calculate Impairment Percentages Using the Chart
   • Workers’ Comp Settlement Chart | Gammon & Grange (https://gg-law.com/workers-compensation/workers-comp-settlement-chart)
   • Impairment Rating Payout – CompSource Mutual (https://compsourcemutual.com/learn/impairment-rating-payout)
   • Impairment Ratings in Texas Workers Comp for Injured Workers (https://mlflegal.com/2026/01/understanding-impairment-ratings-in-texas-workers-comp)
   • North Carolina Workers’ Compensation Settlement Chart (2026) (https://sumwaltgrouplaw.com/blog/north-carolina-workers-compensation-settlement-chart)
   • Impairment Income Benefits (IIBs) In Texas Workers Comp (https://workerscomp.com/workers-comp-overview/impairment-income-benefits-iibs-in-texas-workers-comp-cases)
4. Address Challenges in Impairment Rating Assessments
   • Impairment & Permanent Disability Benefits | Espinoza & Brock (https://espinozabrock.com/practice-areas/workers-compensation/impairment-permanent-disability-benefits)
   • What Happens If You Disagree With Your Impairment Rating? - Waple and Houk (https://waplehouklaw.com/blog/what-happens-if-you-disagree-with-your-impairment-rating)
   • Florida Impairment Rating Disputes After MMI, Fight Low Ratings (https://avardlaw.com/workers-compensation/florida-impairment-rating-disputes)
   • Workers’ Comp and Impairment Rating Assessments in New York: What To Know (https://brandonjbroderick.com/new-york/workers-comp-and-impairment-rating-assessments-new-york-what-know)