When your physician determines that your injuries have become permanent and stationary (P&S), the physician writes a P&S Report that describes the lasting impairment, including any lasting pain, caused by the injury. The P&S Report also itemizes any limitations on work that the impairment causes, states whether the employee is able to return to his or her former employment, and describes any future medical treatment that will be needed.
If your disability was caused in part by work and in part by an event that is not related to work, the physician will express an opinion about how much of the disability is job-related. The physician then provides the P&S Report to the workers’ compensation claims adjuster. You are entitled to a copy.
If you disagree with a P&S Report, you and your attorney can follow a procedure to challenge the report. That procedure typically involves an evaluation by another physician called a QME, Qualified Medical Examiner, who is chosen by your workers’ compensation lawyer and the claims adjuster or defense attorney.