Workers' Compensation & Disability 1 Flashcards

In workers' compensation, 'Maximum Medical Improvement' (MMI) is best defined as the point at which:

Answer: The worker's condition has stabilized and is unlikely to change significantly with further treatment

MMI indicates a medical plateau — further meaningful improvement is not reasonably expected — but does not necessarily imply full recovery. It is the standard threshold before permanent impairment ratings are assigned.

A workers' compensation claimant can perform some, but not all, of their pre-injury job duties on a temporary basis. This is classified as:

Answer: Temporary partial disability

Temporary partial disability applies when a worker retains some work capacity but with restrictions, and those restrictions are expected to resolve over time. Both the duration (temporary) and the degree (partial) must be considered together.

The AMA Guides to the Evaluation of Permanent Impairment are most commonly used in workers' compensation cases to:

Answer: Assign a whole-person impairment percentage after MMI is reached

The AMA Guides provide a standardized framework for rating permanent impairment as a percentage of whole person impairment, applied after the claimant has reached MMI. They do not address causation or job demand classification.

During an FCE for a workers' compensation claimant, validity testing reveals sub-maximal effort. The evaluator's most appropriate response is to:

Answer: Document the findings objectively and note the potential impact on result validity

The FCE evaluator's role is objective, impartial documentation. Sub-maximal effort should be reported with its implications for reliability, allowing the referral source to draw conclusions — the evaluator does not make legal judgments about intent or fraud.

In workers' compensation law, the term 'aggravation' refers to:

Answer: A pre-existing condition that is worsened by a work-related event

Aggravation describes a work-related incident that exacerbates a pre-existing condition. The employer or insurer may bear liability for the degree of worsening caused by work, even if the underlying condition predated employment.

Which federal program provides workers' compensation coverage specifically for civilian employees of the U.S. federal government?

Answer: Federal Employees' Compensation Act (FECA)

FECA, administered by the Department of Labor's Office of Workers' Compensation Programs, covers federal civilian workers who sustain job-related injuries or occupational diseases. It is distinct from state workers' compensation systems and from SSDI.