Document ID: chunk:federal_register_of_legislation:F2016L01332:front:0:p8
Version: federal_register_of_legislation:F2016L01332
Segment Type: other
Provision Reference: 
Character Range: 23351–26219

condition, including the effect of aging by reference to age adjustment tables, as appropriate. The impairment rating given by this method must be as consistent as possible with the relevant steps and tables in this Guide.

    Pain and suffering

    Pain and suffering have been taken into account in this Guide in the following manner:
+ if pain and suffering restrict everyday activities, the functional loss caused is rated in the appropriate table;
    + if pain and suffering occur without restriction to any activity the appropriate
     Other Impairment table is used; and
+ allowance for pain and suffering is included in the lifestyle assessment.

Medication or treatment

 In some cases, type of medication or treatment has been used as an indicator of the severity of disablement. Such tables contain appropriate criteria about medication. No additional rating is therefore required.

 Persistent side effects of long term treatment are to be assessed as part of the condition being treated, using the appropriate system specific tables. Persistent side effects are those side effects of the treatment that persist during therapy but which resolve on (or shortly after) cessation of therapy.

 Permanent side effects of long term treatment cannot be assessed as part of the condition being treated. Permanent side effects are those side effects of the treatment that persist during therapy and which do not resolve on (or shortly after) cessation of therapy. Such permanent side effects would generally be covered by a Statement of Principles. The permanent side effects must first be determined to be war-caused or defence-caused, before they can be assessed.

 Time reference

 The severity of many conditions fluctuates over time and may be better assessed by an averaging process. Therefore, because some criteria refer to the occurrence of symptoms during a period, it will be necessary to assess an averaged severity during that period. Twelve months is usually a suitable period, as it allows any seasonal fluctuation to be observed, but the period may be varied according to circumstances.

 For tests done on a particular date, specifically spirometry, audiometry and creatinine clearance calculated from the formula, the veteran's age for the purpose of obtaining an impairment rating shall generally be his or her age on the date of the test.

 Duration of assessment period

 While the Act requires the assessment of a rate or rates of pension over an "assessment period"  (see section 19 of the Act),  that assessment can in practice only be made by reference to the available medical and other material that, of necessity, relates to a particular point or period in time. Therefore, the assessment of the impairment and lifestyle ratings during the "assessment period" must be based on the assessor's reasonable satisfaction as to those