WCAB IDs Factors to Assess Catastrophic Nature of Injury for Impairment Rating Add-Ons

Determining whether a California worker suffered a catastrophic injury and can seek an increased impairment rating for psychiatric injuries depends on a number of factors including severity, the impact on activities of daily living and the extent of treatment needed to relieve the effects of the injury, the Workers’ Compensation Appeals Board listed in an en banc decision published Friday afternoon. Ultimately, the nature of an injury — including whether it is catastrophic — is a factual issue for a judge to determine, the WCAB said in the unanimous decision, Wilson v. State...