Work Injury
If you have a work-related injury, you may have heard of “impairment ratings.”
You might be wondering what impairment ratings are and why they matter.
Impairment ratings (also called “MMI ratings” in Texas) are a critical part of every workers’ compensation case.
The wrong impairment rating can prevent an injured employee from getting the payout they deserve.
If you or a loved one has been injured on the job or assigned an impairment rating in Texas, take a moment to read this post.
Our experienced Texas workers’ compensation lawyers discuss what impairment ratings are, how they’re calculated, and why they matter to your case.
For immediate assistance, please contact us online or call 254-252-3590 to set up a consultation.
Key Takeaways: Impairment Ratings in Texas Workers’ Compensation Claims
- An impairment rating in Texas workers’ comp reflects how much permanent function an injured worker has lost after reaching maximum medical improvement.
- Your Texas workers comp impairment rating can directly affect how much compensation you receive, especially when impairment income benefits are involved.
- Medical records, range-of-motion findings, pain levels, work restrictions, and consistent treatment can all matter when a doctor evaluates an impairment rating.
- If the rating is too low, the financial impact can be serious. Getting legal guidance early can help you understand whether the rating fairly reflects your condition.
What Is an Impairment Rating in Texas?
Impairment ratings in Texas are ratings that reflect how much a worker has been permanently affected by their work injury.
Impairment ratings decide how much compensation an injured Texas employee should receive.
It’s kind of like when people rate collectible items as “fair,” “very good,” or “mint” condition. Impairment ratings involve the same concept but apply to permanently injured workers.
Impairment Ratings Can Feel Technical, But They Can Affect Real Money
If you are dealing with a work injury, you may already be juggling treatment, missed income, and uncertainty about what comes next. Then the impairment rating process shows up with new terms like MMI, IIBs, and percentages that can feel hard to decode. The problem is that this number is not just paperwork. In a Texas workers’ comp claim, it can directly affect benefits and long-term recovery.
How Is an Impairment Rating Calculated in Texas?
An injured worker receives an impairment rating in Texas only after they have reached “maximum medical improvement,” or “MMI.”
Injured workers generally reach MMI when their doctor decides that their injuries are unlikely to get any better.
An injured employee can also reach MMI when they’ve received temporary income benefits (TIBs) for two years.
When an injured employee reaches MMI, their doctor will conduct a special examination.
During this examination, the doctor measures the workers’ physical condition by assessing things like pain levels, physical strength, and range of motion.
After the examination, the doctor assigns an impairment rating to the injured worker by referencing The Guides to the Evaluation of Permanent Impairment.
Physicians use this book to compare their findings with defined impairment rating criteria. It’s kind of like a Texas impairment rating calculator.
Let’s use an example. Imagine you hurt your hand and back while working on the job.
When you reach MMI, you still can’t bend a couple of your fingers on your injured hand. You also have lower back pain that just won’t go away.
Based on this, your doctor assigns you an impairment rating of 25 for your hand and 10 for your back.
This means that your hand has a permanent impairment of 25% and your back has a permanent impairment of 10%.
The higher your impairment rating, the less function you’ll have in that part of your body.
Why Does My Texas Workers’ Compensation Impairment Rating Matter?
A Texas worker’ compensation impairment rating helps determine how much compensation an injured worker receives.
Higher impairment ratings mean greater compensation. In other words, your impairment rating determines your payout in Texas.
How to Get a Higher Impairment Rating?
If you want to maximize your compensation in Texas workers’ compensation claims, securing a higher impairment rating is key.
Increase your impairment rating by documenting functional limitations with detailed medical records, consistent treatment from a qualified physician, and a second opinion from a specialist. Ensure medical evidence supports the severity of your condition and its impact on daily activities.
If you believe your rating is too low, don’t hesitate to seek a second opinion or explore the appeals process to ensure your impairment rating truly represents your condition.
By taking proactive steps and being well-prepared, you can improve your chances of obtaining a higher impairment rating and the income benefits that come along with it.
How Much Compensation Can I Get?
Injured workers in Texas who have permanent work-related impairments can receive “impairment income benefits,” or “IIBS.”
State law creates a kind of Texas impairment payment rating calculator for these benefits.
Each point of impairment allows an injured worker to receive three weeks of income equal to 70% of their weekly wage, provided that amount doesn’t exceed 70% of the state average weekly wage (SAWW). The SAWW varies every year and is available online.
Let’s use an example to show how this Texas impairment rating calculator works. Imagine that a worker named John has an average weekly wage of $1,000 before he injures himself at work.
When John reaches MMI, his doctor assigns him an impairment rating of 30%. This means that John will receive IIBs equal to 70% of $1,000, or $700, for 90 weeks.
Imagine another injured worker named Jane. Before her injury, Jane made an average weekly wage of $1,500.
With the same impairment rating as John, she will receive $705 per week for 90 weeks because the 2021 SAWW is $1,006.71.
Injured workers can receive more than just IIBs. In fact, there are several other kinds of income benefits besides IIBs, including supplemental income benefits (SIBs) and lifetime income benefits (LIBs). These income benefits each have their own unique requirements.
For example, injured workers can receive SIBs if they have an impairment rating of 15% or more and either:
- Have not returned to work; or
- Have returned to work, but earn less than 80% of their pre-injury weekly wage.
To sum up, your Texas workers’ compensation impairment rating may entitle you to several different kinds of benefits.
That is why it is important for you to have an experienced workers’ compensation attorney to represent you.
A Low Impairment Rating Can Leave an Injured Worker Feeling Undervalued
The problem is that once a rating is assigned, it can shape how the claim is valued moving forward. If the rating is too low, the benefits may not match the real impact of the injury on work, daily life, and long-term function. That is why clear medical support matters so much. When the rating does not feel right, getting answers early can make a real difference.
What Should I Do If I Don’t Agree with My Impairment Rating?
If you don’t agree with your impairment rating, contact us right away.
Although the Texas impairment rating evaluations system is supposed to produce consistent, unbiased impairment ratings, the truth is that it’s far from perfect.
For one, different doctors can have different opinions. One doctor might determine that a hand injury results in 10% impairment, while another will assign the same injury an impairment rating of 15% or 20%.
Second, workers’ compensation insurance companies often pay the medical doctors who make impairment ratings.
Although doctors are supposed to be unbiased in determining impairment ratings, this financial connection often encourages them to assign lower impairment ratings to save the insurance company money.
This in turn motivates the insurance company to help the doctor earn more money by sending more injured employees for evaluation.
Consequently, doctors often assign injured workers unfairly low impairment ratings.
Impairment Ratings in Texas Workers’ Compensation Claims: FAQs
An impairment rating in Texas workers’ comp is a percentage that reflects how much permanent damage a worker has after a job-related injury. It is meant to measure lasting impairment after recovery has reached a stable point.
MMI means maximum medical improvement. In practical terms, it is the point where the doctor believes the injury is unlikely to get significantly better with more treatment, and that is usually when the impairment rating is assigned.
The doctor typically performs an exam after MMI and evaluates things like pain levels, physical strength, and range of motion, then compares those findings to formal impairment guides to assign a percentage rating.
Your impairment rating matters because it can affect how much workers’ comp compensation you receive. In general, a higher impairment rating can mean greater benefits because it reflects more serious permanent loss of function.
Impairment income benefits, often called IIBs, are benefits available to injured Texas workers who have permanent work-related impairments. The current page explains that each point of impairment is tied to a set number of weeks of income benefits.
The page explains that each point of impairment allows an injured worker to receive three weeks of income equal to 70% of the weekly wage, subject to limits tied to the state average weekly wage.
The page recommends detailed medical records, consistent treatment with a qualified physician, and a second opinion from a specialist when appropriate. It also stresses documenting how the condition affects daily activities and function.
If you do not agree with the rating, it is important to act quickly. The page notes that different doctors can give different ratings for the same injury and that some workers receive unfairly low ratings, which is why a challenge or second opinion may matter.
Yes. Because the impairment rating helps determine benefits, a lower rating can directly reduce the amount of compensation you receive. That is one reason why impairment ratings are such an important part of a Texas workers’ compensation case. :contentReference[oaicite:8]{index=8}
If your rating seems too low, your benefits do not make sense, or you are nearing MMI and want to protect your claim, it is worth getting legal guidance. The page specifically recommends contacting an experienced Texas workers’ compensation lawyer if you do not agree with your rating.
How Our Texas Workers’ Compensation Lawyers Can Help with Understanding Impairment Ratings—Get a Free Consultation
Chances are, you now realize that an impairment rating is an important but complex issue. No one should have to navigate the complicated world of Texas workers’ compensation law alone.
Our experienced Texas workers’ compensation attorneys at The Zimmerman Law Firm, P.C., can help you receive the compensation you deserve. Plus, we won’t charge you any legal fees unless you win your case.
Contact us or call 254-252-3590 for a free consultation today, and let us help you get fair compensation for your Texas workers’ compensation claim.
Where to find our Waco office:
Michael Zimmerman
Michael was born in Houston, Texas. His education at Baylor and Texas State Universities earned him a Bachelor of Science degree in 1987. His major was in Biology with a Minor in Chemistry. He finished his legal education at Texas Southern University in 1990, earning a Juris Doctorate from Thurgood Marshall School of Law. He was admitted to the State Bar of Texas in 1990.
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