An impairment is a permanent change to your physical or mental function or structure, caused by a work-related injury or illness.
Most work-related injuries do not result in impairment, but in some situations, a worker may not fully recover. If you do not fully recover from your work-related injury or illness, you may be entitled to a lump sum Impairment Award.
The WCB will consider your entitlement for an Impairment Award if your condition:
- Is the result of a work-related injury or illness.
- Is at a medical plateau. This means that you are no longer in active treatment for your condition, and further recovery is not expected.
- Is a medically measurable and permanent reduction in function or structure, or is an abnormality of psychological, physiological, or anatomical function or structure.
- Occurred on or after January 1, 1995. If your accident occurred prior to 1995, your case manager can provide you with information about your entitlement.
Impairment assessment
An impairment assessment of a work-related injury or illness helps us determine whether you are eligible for certain benefits, and how much you may receive as a one-time Impairment Award payment.
An impairment assessment is arranged by the WCB and done in-person by a health care provider with specific training and certification to perform impairment assessments. It may involve a physical examination.
Learn more about what to expect before, during, and after an impairment assessment.
If you believe that your medical condition has changed since your impairment was assessed, you may request a review of the degree of your impairment 16 months after your last assessment.
Impairment ratings
Impairment awards are based on the percentage of total body impairment. Most impairment ratings are five per cent or less whole person impairment.
Here are some examples to illustrate impairment ratings:
- A city inspector falls in a parking lot and injures their shoulder. They are diagnosed with a full thickness rotator cuff tear. They have surgery to repair the tear and they complete a course of rehabilitative physiotherapy. Following this, there is a small amount of muscle wasting. The impairment rating is 4%.
- A worker on shift on an assembly line sustains an amputation of the majority of their middle and index fingers of one hand. There is normal healing of the stumps of the fingers, and there is no resulting tenderness, abnormal scarring, or nerve abnormalities. The impairment rating is 17%.
- A worker is diagnosed with carpal tunnel syndrome due to repetitive work in a fish plant. Nerve testing confirms the diagnosis and the worker undergoes carpal tunnel release surgery. The worker has residual numbness and pain. However, the worker is independent with activities of daily living. Repeat nerve testing shows persisting mild nerve dysfunction. The impairment rating is 1%.
For each one per cent of whole person impairment, a worker receives one per cent of the maximum annual earnings in effect at the time of injury. For example:
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If a worker is determined to have five per cent whole person impairment for an injury that happened in 2023, their Impairment Award would be calculated as follows:
5% X $65,000 (Maximum Annual Earnings for 2023) = $3,250
The worker would receive a one-time lump sum payment of $3,250. This is the Impairment Award.
Workers who have received an Impairment Award are eligible for ongoing health care benefits related to their work-related injury or illness. You are advised to contact the WCB before starting any treatment to make sure the type and location of treatment is approved. The aim of supportive care treatment is to help you maintain the level of function you had at the time the Impairment Award was issued.
If your impairment has caused a loss of earning capacity, you may also be entitled to vocational rehabilitation services to help you get back to work.