Document ID: chunk:federal_register_of_legislation:F2016L01332:front:0:p4
Version: federal_register_of_legislation:F2016L01332
Segment Type: other
Provision Reference: 
Character Range: 12714–15693

given in section 9 of the Act;

    "worksheet" means a page or pages of this Guide, identified as a "worksheet",
Introduction

       that gives a structure by which certain calculations may be set out to assist in determining an impairment rating.

       Definitions of words and phrases that are used in only one chapter are to be found in that chapter.

    Acknowledgment of sources

    The following published works were found to be useful in the preparation of this edition of the Guide:

    Guides to the Evaluation of Permanent Impairment, 4th edition, American Medical
Association, 1993;

    International Classification of Impairments, Conditions, and Handicaps, World
Health Organisation, Geneva, 1980; and

    Publication No 118 of the National Acoustic Laboratories, Improved Procedure for Determining  Percentage Loss of Hearing, by J. Macrae, Australian  Government Publishing Service, Canberra, 1988.

      How to Use this Guide

    The subject of assessment

    This Guide is to be applied to assess the degree of incapacity from injuries or diseases or both that have been determined to be war-caused or defence-caused.

    In making an assessment the clinical features of war-caused or defence-caused injuries or diseases are to be taken into account. Clinical features of sequelae of accepted conditions can only be assessed after the sequelae have been determined to be war- caused or defence-caused.

    The elements of assessment

    The two elements of the assessment of degree of incapacity are medical impairment and lifestyle effects. Lifestyle effects are dealt with in Chapter 22. Other chapters address medical impairment.

    Medical impairment

    Medical impairment has two components:

    + physical loss of, or disturbance to, any body part or system; and
+ the resultant functional loss.

    Chapters 1 to 16 of the Guide contain two principal types of tables. Physical loss is to be rated against criteria in "Other Impairment" tables. Functional loss is to be rated against criteria in "Functional Loss" tables.

    Greater emphasis has been given throughout this Guide to functional loss as a basis for assessment. It is measured by reference to an individual's performance efficiency compared with that of an average, healthy person of the same age and sex, in a set of defined vital functions. This is a means of compensating for the loss of ability to perform everyday functions.

    Each table contains benchmark values, generally at intervals of five points. In some cases the range between nil and five includes a rating of two points. In some other cases intervals are greater than five points because lesser increments of impairment cannot be distinguished.

Each benchmark is a threshold value, that is, the rating applies only if the threshold is achieved or exceeded. Ratings are not to be rounded up to the next benchmark. Similarly, ratings between benchmark values contained in the tables