What is the DRE method?

The DRE method is used for assessing permanent impairment in respect of the cervical spine region, thoracic spine region and lumbar spine region. If for example there is an injury to the lumbar spine, then the doctor must choose the category of DRE impairment. The categories range from Category I to Category V.

What is a DRE category?

A drug recognition expert or drug recognition evaluator (DRE) is a police officer trained to recognize impairment in drivers under the influence of drugs other than, or in addition to, alcohol.

What is ROM in workers comp?

One of the most frequent questions we see in workers’ compensation defense is whether the Diagnosis-Related-Estimate (DRE) or Range-of-Motion (ROM) permanent disability ratings apply to the spine.

What is Dre II?

4.18 DRE II is a clinical diagnosis based upon the features of the history of the injury and clinical features. 4.20 While imaging and other studies may assist medical assessors in making a diagnosis, the presence of a morphological variation from ‘normal’ in an imaging study does not confirm the diagnosis.

What is Dre lumbar Category II?

DRE Lumbar Category I: 0% Whole Person Impairment (WPI) DRE Lumbar Category II: 5% – 8% WPI.

What is the average settlement for a lumbar fusion workers comp?

between $150,000 and $200,000
The average settlement compensation payout for a back injury lawsuit involving spinal fusion surgery is between $150,000 and $200,000. One factor that limits the settlement value in spinal fusion auto tort cases is the limits of applicable insurance coverage.

Is the DRE program scientifically reliable?

Local police agencies are engaging in new instruction called drug recognition expert training (DRE). The DRE training is designed to teach an officer to detect and identify drug impaired driving through the investigation of human physiological factors. This DRE training is not scientifically valid or reliable.

What is alteration of motion segment integrity?

Alteration of motion segment integrity is just excessive motion. Spinal instability is when that excessive motion now creates a clinical scenario. It either causes a motor sensory or pain problem. When we get to alteration of motion segment integrity, it’s used in the Impairment Guides.

What does 7% impairment rating mean?

PPI ratings are ordinarily measured as a percentage of the body as a whole. So, someone with a back injury and a 7% PPI rating is said to have a 7% permanent partial impairment to the body as a whole. These are called “scheduled member” injuries, and a set formula is applied to determine your PPI rating.

What is Category 2 impairment rating?

Category 2 for your low back equals 5% of the value of your whole body. Other types of injuries will be rated in terms of the percentage of loss of function. For example, you may be rated as having a 10% impairment of your shoulder. That would be 10% of the value of your whole arm.

What is a PPD award?

Under workers’ compensation laws, when an employee is an injured on the job that is rated to the severity of being permanent but the employee is still able to work, the employee is entitled to receive compensation for their disability in the form of a permanent partial disability (“PPD”) award.

When to use DRE or ROM for spine evaluation?

The Guides specify the DRE method is the primary method to determine spine impairment in an injured worker who has had a distinct injury. Please note, the examiner cannot simultaneously apply both methods to the same spine region.

What’s the difference between ROM and Dre rating?

* Multilevel motion segment alteration such as fusion or translational movement as defined in the Guides. * A single level fusion, in most cases, would be rated via DRE method whereas a multilevel fusion would be rated via ROM.

Which is an example of a Dre fracture?

* An example is multiple compression fractures in the lumbar spine. If there is a single level fracture in the lumbar spine and a single level fracture in the cervical spine, the DRE method would be applied since they are not in the same spinal region.