Tampa, FL workers’ compensation attorney Mark Lee discusses when a permanent impairment rating can be assigned to a workers’ compensation claim. He explains that once a patient reaches maximum medical improvement, their treating physician will typically assign a permanent impairment rating based on the 1996 Florida Impairment Rating Guide. The rating itself is determined by the patient’s loss of function, regardless of the type of injury or permanent dysfunction they have. The impairment rating guide is divided into various body systems, and the physician, who is familiar with the extent of the dysfunction, will assign an impairment rating based on charts.