When will my claim be closed?

When your attending physician says you have reached your maximum improvement from your injury, you will be declared “medically stationary” and your claim may be “closed.” Note: An injured worker might be medically stationary even if there is not a full recovery.

In order to close your claim, your attending physician is supposed to examine you and determine whether you have any permanent impairment. From your doctor’s impairment evaluation the insurer will determine whether you are entitled to an award of “permanent disability.”

Permanent disability is an arbitrary and small award that does not reflect how your injury might affect your ability to work and earn a living in the future. If worker A and worker B have the same injury and the same impairment, the amount of their permanent disability will be the same, even if worker A was earning only minimum wages and worker B was making $100,000 a year.

If you feel your award for permanent disability was not properly determined, you may request review by the Workers’ Compensation Department. You may request an examination by an independent doctor (”medical arbiter”) if you think your own doctor might have understated your impairment.


Workers' Compensation Claims