6.2.4.6 Multiple injuries - impairment assessment
If the worker’s claim is for multiple injuries, the Agent may need to arrange more than one IIA Independent impairment assessment examination.
For example
If a worker has traumatic injuries to the neck and the head, the Agent may have accepted these as the anatomical loss to the cervical spine, organic brain injury and a psychological stress reaction. In this situation the worker may be assessed by:
- an orthopaedic surgeon to assess the neck
- a psychiatrist to assess psychiatric injury and provide assistance in distinguishing brain injury
- a neurologist to assess any brain damage.
If the neurologist assessing the worker’s head injury is also AMA4 accredited in the spine module, the worker may only need to attend two IIA examinations.
Combining impairments for claims lodged on or after 18/11/04
Agents can but are not required to request that one IIA combine all physical whole person impairments resulting from the injuries occurring in the same incident or on the same day.
Where required, it is the responsibility of the Agent IB Impairment Benefits Specialist to select and instruct the combining IIA to combine the physical whole person impairments.
If physical and psychiatric impairments occur simultaneously, the Agent should also instruct the combining IIA to combine the physical whole person impairments with the workers non-secondary psychiatric impairment arising from the injury/injuries occurring in the same incident or on the same day.
Agents can determine the liability and entitlement in relation to an IB claim and therefore combine the impairments.
Assessor combines physical & psychiatric impairments
If physical and psychiatric impairments occur simultaneously, the Agent can also request combining IIA to combine the physical whole person impairments with the worker’s psychiatric impairment arising directly from the injuries occurring in the same incident or on the same day.