Guides to the Evaluation of Permanent Impairment

By Gunnar Andersson, Linda Cocchiarella, Gunnar B. Andersson, et al.

Book Overview

From its inception in 1971, the AMA Guides quickly became the acknowledged authority in its field. The new edition of Guides carries on this legacy, giving practitioners and non-medical professionals an updated standard in quality evaluations. It is the approved uniform way to evaluate, measure and report impairment. This edition incorporates the latest diagnostic criteria, using the most current scientific evidence from each specialty and a clinical consensus. It was developed by experts representing the major medical specialties. It covers all body systems and contains significant improvements in major chapters including cardiology, respiratory, musculoskeletal and skin. New conditions covered include HIV and latex allergy. In addition, this edition offers user-friendly formatting with consistency among chapters, and improved references and bibliography. Guides is legally mandated or recommended for use in 40 states, and is also used in Australia and Canada.

Features and BenefitsEnhanced coverage of chronic pain assessmentInformation on common conditions and diseases, including HIV and latex allergyTreatment and assessment considerations involving cardiology, dermatology, ocular, respiratory and musculoskeletal systemsStandardized formatting across topics

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1579470858
• ISBN13: 9781579470852
• Release Date: January 2001
• Publisher: American Medical Association Press
• Length: 613 Pages
• Weight: 4.70 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.8" x 8.7" x 11.3"

Customer Reviews

Guides to the evaluation of Permanent Impairment

This book is jam packed and jelly shut with powerful information for the sharp expert who simply needs to just fine tune his or her skills. This is also a must for every primary caregivers personal library.

Better than Ambiem and a shot

Absolutely the best bedtime reading to fall quickly asleep. Much more effective than 1-4th Editions. Richard S Glosser MD Orthopedic Surgeon.

AMA Guides

It's the standard. Can't get around it. Examples are very good. Read through the examples for a thorough understanding and you'll be fine.

A must for professionals in disability law and medicine

The 5th Edition is the Rosetta Stone for evaluating permanent impairment. It is invaluable in workers' compensation, where many states, provinces and several countries either mandate its use or treat this work as an authorativie source of impairment evaluation. It may also come to have utility in ADA cases, especially with its emphasis on activities of daily living, and as a predicate to demonstrating the significance or insignificance of an impairment's effect on major life activities after Toyota vs Williams. The vision chapter represents the AMA's first major, published revision to the science and knowledge of eye impairments since the early 1900's.

Nice Charts

Although my copy came with 10 pages of errata sheets stuck in the front of it (presumably cured in the 5th version), I still got a lot out of reading through this book. The descriptions of impairment are de regeur reading for coming up with convincing settlement demands for soft tissue injuries. Someone's shoulder hurts? How do you say they have lost 20% of their upper body use as a result? Why not 90% of one finger, 50% of one hand, and 80% of one arm? Multiple impairments like these can be descriptively segmented to more fully elaborate what a patient is feeling, and how they are limited in daily activities. Both the plaintiff bar and the insurance community are well-served by this book. As for the medical accuracy of it, I'll take the AMA's word for it.