The AMA Guides to the Evaluation of Permanent Impairment (“Guides”), published by the American Medical Association, is the most widely used basis for determining impairment. The various editions are used in the United States and other countries, including Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Hong Kong, and South Africa.
The AMA Guides are widely used in cases involving workers’ compensation,1 Longshore and Harbor Workers Act, automobile casualty, and personal injury. Their application provides a way to quantify permanent losses associated with injury or illness.
Use this site’s menu to review the key features of each of the listed editions.
1. The use of the AMA Guides in workers’ compensation varies by jurisdiction. The current standard is the Sixth Edition, published in 2008. Certain states make use of earlier editions.
