An impairment rating refers to the percentage of impairment to the injured body part(s) resulting from the workplace injury. The rating doctor chosen by the claimant’s attorney performs a complete examination of the claimant and assigns a rating, as does the independent medical examination (IME) doctor who is retained by the attorney for the employer/insurer. In Maryland, that rating must be performed in accordance with the 4th Edition of the Guides to the Evaluation of Permanent Impairment.
The claimant’s rating doctor charges the claimant a fee for the rating, and this fee is noted on the Full and Final Settlement Agreement and is deducted from the settlement amount. Typically, the claimant’s doctor’s rating is more generous than the employer/insurer IME doctor’s rating.