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Shapiro, Lewis & Appleton

All We Do is Injury Law

Toll-Free: 1-800-752-0042
Phone: 1-757-460-7776

PHONE: 757-460-7776
TOLL FREE: 800-752-0042

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AMA Permanent Partial Impairment Ratings: A Virginia Lawyer’s Tool

The American Medical Association has a book in which experienced doctors and other health care providers set forth the guidelines for an orthopedic physician to assign a numeric permanent partial impairment rating that indicates the extent of person's disability due to an injury. As a Virginia personal injury lawyer who has handed numerous truck wreck cases, I use this litigation tool to better describe my clients' serious injuries to insurance companies and, if necessary, juries who must decide whether to award compensation, and in what amount, to accident victims.

For example, let's say that a person suffered a broken clavicle, torn rotator cuff and other shoulder injuries with a broken clavicle that require surgical repair. The AMA's Guides to the Evaluation of Permanent Impairment spells out how to arrive at a number that will approximate how much upper arm and total physical function that person lost to his or upper extremity injuries, which, again, indicates how disabled the person has become.

The book is currently in the sixth edition, but it is currently more common for doctors to be most with the 5th edition of the Guides. There are some differences in the way the two books may apply to a given person's injury. The main thrust of the 5th edition was to look at such things as the range of motion a person was left with after an injury to a specific body part compared to the motion a normal, healthy person should have in the same body part. The 6th edition focuses more on diagnostic codes and what the description of the injury is through that process. Factors like the number of surgeries are taken into account in both versions of the guidelines.

Normally, the permanent impairment ratings are used in workers' compensation cases as a way to show the extent of injury. However, the ratings can also be used to describe the extent of a permanent injury for a person whose case is not against their employer, but against an at-fault driver in a truck crash or other type of traffic accident. I usually use the ratings for that purpose when my client's injury is one that will leave them with a permanent impairment. This allows the insurance company to know just how severe and life-altering a personal injury was to my client.

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Best Virginia Injury Attorneys Virginia Super Lawyers   

About the Editors: Shapiro, Lewis & Appleton is a Virginia (VA) injury law firm whose attorneys focus exclusively on personal injury and accident law. We have a proven track record in the court room, and you can review our case results to see for yourself. We have offices in Virginia Beach and Hampton, but we're ready to come to you anywhere in VA if you've been seriously hurt by the carelessness of another person or company.

Virginia injury lawyers Rick Shapiro and James Lewis have been recognized as among the Best Lawyers in America since 2008. Shapiro and Lewis have also been selected by the National Million Dollar Advocates Forum since 2009. Rick, Jim and Randy have been named Virginia Super Lawyers for Personal Injury Law (Jim since '06, Rick since '10, and Randy since '12). This is a prestigious recognition that only 5 percent of lawyers receive.

We were the first injury law firm in Virginia to join Primerus, a select group of highly ethical and respected law firms. Our Virginia Beach accident injury firm has the highest rating of AV from Martindale-Hubbell, a national lawyer ranking organization, which means we have a reputation for preeminent legal skill. 

We also offer free special reports and edit the Virginia Beach Injuryboard and Norfolk Injuryboard blog sites as a public information service.

Our attorneys have deep roots in Virginia and handle cases throughout the commonwealth including Virginia Beach, Norfolk, Chesapeake, Portsmouth, Newport News, Hampton and Suffolk, VA. 

While not every injury case meets our criteria, we offer free initial confidential consultations, so call us toll free at (800) 752-0042. If you cannot get through due to the high call volume, please leave a voicemail and we will get back to you shortly. 

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