Permanent Impairment Assessment & Impairment Reports
Assessing permanent impairment for claims approaching resolution
For more than 18 years, LexiMed has prepared permanent impairment reports for legal, insurance and workers’ compensation professionals across Australia. Our impairment assessment process is used to determine the extent of permanent impairment at a defined point in time, applying the relevant impairment guide to provide fair value in evidence-based entitlement decisions.
What is a permanent impairment report used for?
An impairment report is a formal medicolegal assessment that examines the physical or psychological impact of an injury, illness or medical condition. These impairment reports are most often relied on in compensation and regulatory matters, where an accurate impairment assessment and the resulting Whole Person Impairment (WPI) rating can determine entitlements or ongoing obligations.
Permanent impairment reports are commonly relied on in:
- Workers' compensation claims, to assess permanent impairment and determine lump sum or ongoing entitlements
- Insurance matters, including motor vehicle accident claims and compensation calculations
- Disability-related assessments, where impairment ratings inform eligibility decisions
- Regulatory matters involving health practitioners, where impairment may affect capacity to practise safely
Across each of these settings, the role of the impairment report is to provide legal and insurance teams with a standardised, defensible medical opinion on functional impairment that supports informed decision-making.
What does a permanent impairment assessment cover?
While requirements vary by jurisdiction and scheme, a permanent impairment assessment typically involves:
- Confirmation that maximum medical improvement has been reached and the medical condition is unlikely to materially improve
- Review of relevant medical records, investigations and treatment history
- Clinical assessment by an accredited specialist authorised to apply the relevant impairment guide
- Evaluation of the extent of physical or psychological functional loss resulting from the injury or illness
- Impairment calculations prepared in line with the relevant guide, to determine a Whole Person Impairment (WPI) rating
- Preparation of a structured medicolegal report setting out findings, methodology and impairment ratings
When assessing impairment, specialists look for the clinical impairment indicators specific to the condition before calculating a Whole Person Impairment (WPI) rating. For example, documenting any physical damage, scarring, restricted movement or ongoing psychological symptoms. In some matters, a report may also comment on functional needs such as mobility equipment or workplace modifications, where relevant to the claim.
Because these calculations directly affect compensation outcomes, LexiMed’s specialists take care to apply each guide consistently and avoid the common pitfalls that can arise when impairment assessments are rushed.
Accredited specialists experienced in assessing impairments
LexiMed works with more than 30 experienced medicolegal specialists accredited to conduct permanent impairment assessments. Each matter is matched with a specialist whose expertise reflects both the medical condition being assessed and the requirements of the relevant impairment guide.
Our network includes orthopaedic surgeons, psychiatrists, neurosurgeons, physicians, rehabilitation specialists and other accredited practitioners. Each experienced in assessing the extent of impairment resulting from significant physical injury, psychological injury, or a combination of conditions. All are familiar with how impairment reports are analysed and relied upon in legal and insurance settings.
This breadth of expertise allows LexiMed to manage permanent impairment assessments consistently, whether the claim involves a discrete physical injury, a psychological condition, or a combination of presentations, without compromising accuracy. Our consistent approach also supports a fair valuation of each claim, since the assessed rating often underpins the compensation ultimately negotiated or awarded.
What to expect from LexiMed's impairment calculations and reports
Careful application of impairment guides and impairment calculations
Permanent impairment assessments are technical and complex. Our specialists apply the relevant guide methodically, and check every impairment calculation carefully, to determine an accurate rating rather than rushing to a conclusion.
Impairment reports prepared for end-stage decisions
Impairment reports are often used to finalise claims involving significant compensation. Our reports are written with that purpose in mind, setting out findings in a way that can be followed and relied upon.
Professional impairment assessments for claimants
Assessments are conducted respectfully and without unnecessary pressure, regardless of individual circumstances. Taking the time to complete the assessment properly often results in a more accurate outcome.
Experience that avoids common impairment assessment pitfalls
After more than 18 years working alongside legal and insurance professionals, we have seen where impairment reports and impairment calculations can fall short. That expertise informs how assessments are arranged and how reports are prepared.
Timely impairment report delivery at a critical point
Delays at this stage of a claim or case can create unnecessary complications for claim management. Our process is designed to facilitate an efficient path from assessment to report delivery.
Impairment reports prepared locally
All reports are prepared by our Australian-based team, allowing close collaboration with specialists and careful handling of sensitive medical information.
Our permanent impairment assessment process
STEP 1
Book your permanent impairment assessment
Contact LexiMed to discuss the matter and the permanent impairment assessment required. Our team will confirm the appropriate specialist and impairment guide, and facilitate booking to keep your claim on track.
STEP 2
Examination and impairment assessment
The claimant attends the examination with the nominated specialist. Depending on the matter, the assessment may focus on determining the extent of a single condition or multiple injuries.
STEP 3
Impairment report and impairment calculations
The specialist prepares a structured impairment report addressing permanent impairment, impairment calculations and guide-based ratings, giving legal and insurance teams a clear, consistent basis for compensation decisions.
Based in Brisbane, operating nationwide
Our network of medicolegal specialists and medical suites extends across Australia, making it possible to arrange permanent impairment assessments wherever they are needed, for companies, insurers, legal firms and government bodies alike.
Progress your claim with a permanent impairment assessment report
When a matter reaches the point where permanent impairment must be assessed, our team can help arrange an impairment report aligned with the relevant guide and entitlement requirements.
Permanent Impairment Assessment FAQs
What is an impairment report?
An impairment report is a medicolegal document prepared by an accredited specialist that assesses the extent of permanent impairment resulting from an injury, illness or medical condition. At LexiMed, our impairment reports set out clinical findings, methodology and a Whole Person Impairment (WPI) rating calculated in line with the relevant impairment guide, giving legal and insurance professionals the evidence needed to determine compensation and other entitlements.
What is the purpose of a permanent impairment assessment?
The purpose of a permanent impairment assessment is to determine whether an injury or illness has resulted in lasting impairment and, if so, to what extent. LexiMed’s specialists assess the medical condition once maximum medical improvement has been reached, and prepare the impairment calculations that inform decisions around workers’ compensation, insurance and other compensation matters.
How long does a permanent impairment claim take?
How long a permanent impairment claim takes varies depending on the jurisdiction, the complexity of the medical condition, and how quickly maximum medical improvement is confirmed. LexiMed’s process is designed to minimise delays once an assessment is requested, with reports typically prepared and delivered within a defined timeframe following examination.
What is the difference between impairment and disability?
Impairment refers to a measurable loss of physical or psychological function, while disability describes the broader impact of that impairment on a person’s ability to perform everyday activities or work. A permanent impairment assessment focuses specifically on determining and rating the medical impairment, which then informs — but is not identical to — separate assessments of disability or work capacity.