What should be checked before relying on a WPI figure?
Check maximum medical improvement, the body area, objective findings, the NSW Guideline chapter and any NSW modification before relying on a percentage.
Can this page calculate your percentage?
No. WPI depends on an assessor, maximum medical improvement, objective findings and the NSW Guidelines. This page is general information only.
Permanent impairment assessment
How permanent impairment is assessed for Coccyx, sacrococcygeal region and tailbone injury
Coccyx WPI is not a generic pain rating. NSW Table 4.3 separates a healed and truly displaced coccyx fracture from excision of the coccyx. Ongoing sitting pain may be real and claim-relevant, but pain alone is not the same as the table requirement for a truly displaced healed fracture.
What injuries can happen to this body part?
- Tailbone bruising, coccydynia or sacrococcygeal soft-tissue injury after a fall
- Coccyx fracture, fracture-dislocation or healed displaced coccyx fracture
- Coccygectomy or excision of the coccyx after persistent symptoms where medically indicated
Symptoms and findings that matter
- Whether imaging or specialist evidence shows a coccyx fracture rather than pain only
- Whether the healed fracture is truly displaced for the NSW table row
- Whether the coccyx has been excised, which is a separate higher NSW table row
- Whether lumbar spine, sacroiliac or pelvic symptoms are separate and should not be bundled into the coccyx row
- Causation, MMI and whether any pre-existing or non-work factor needs apportionment considered
What investigations are usually relevant?
- Treating specialist report and final impairment assessment at maximum medical improvement
- Imaging, pathology, audiology, ophthalmology, respiratory, nerve or functional testing that fits the body system
- Operative reports, discharge summaries, rehabilitation records and objective clinical measurements where relevant
How WPI is assessed for this body part
- Coccyx WPI is not a generic pain rating. NSW Table 4.3 separates a healed and truly displaced coccyx fracture from excision of the coccyx. Ongoing sitting pain may be real and claim-relevant, but pain alone is not the same as the table requirement for a truly displaced healed fracture.
- Assessment source: NSW Guidelines Chapter 4, Table 4.3 permanent impairment for fractures involving the pelvis, including the specific coccyx rows.
- The assessor should explain maximum medical improvement, the body-system chapter, the method selected, any NSW modification, and why the objective findings fit that method.
How movement affects the assessment
- Coccyx impairment is not assessed through a spine ROM model. Sitting tolerance, transitions from sit to stand and vehicle tolerance may explain function, but they do not replace the NSW Table 4.3 criteria.
- Pain on sitting can affect work capacity and treatment disputes even when it does not satisfy the coccyx WPI table row.
NSW Table 4.3 coccyx rows
Fractures of the coccyx: i. healed, and truly displaced fracture1% WPI. Pain alone is not the same as a truly displaced healed fracture.
Fractures of the coccyx: ii. excision of the coccyx5% WPI. Coccygectomy/excision is a separate higher category and should not be confused with ongoing tailbone pain.
Practical WPI examples
- Fractures of the coccyx: i. healed, and truly displaced fracture — 1% WPI.
- Fractures of the coccyx: ii. excision of the coccyx — 5% WPI.
- A worker with persistent tailbone pain but no truly displaced healed fracture may have a treatment or capacity issue without meeting the 1% coccyx row.
Evidence checklist
- A clear diagnosis and the body area being assessed
- Records showing the condition has reached maximum medical improvement, if that is the issue
- Specialist reports, imaging reports and treating notes relied on by the assessor
- Objective findings on examination, not only symptoms described by the injured person
- A work and treatment chronology explaining the injury, treatment, surgery and recovery path
- Any previous injury, degeneration, congenital issue or non-work cause that needs apportionment considered
- Initial and final imaging reports, fracture clinic notes, pain-management or orthopaedic notes, seating/work-duty evidence and any operative report if coccygectomy occurred
What usually does not increase WPI
- Assuming a scan result automatically gives a WPI percentage
- Confusing pain, disability or inability to work with permanent impairment
- Ignoring maximum medical improvement before arranging an assessment
- Using an AMA5 table without checking whether the NSW Guidelines modify or replace it
- Double counting the same impairment through two methods when the Guidelines require one method
- Equating coccyx pain with a truly displaced healed fracture
- Using the excision row where no coccygectomy occurred
- Ignoring lumbar, sacroiliac or pelvic differential diagnoses
Assessment source
Assessment source: Assessment source: NSW Guidelines Chapter 4, Table 4.3 permanent impairment for fractures involving the pelvis, including the specific coccyx rows.
This section is source-backed general information. It is not a WPI assessment and is not legal advice.
- SIRA NSW Workers Compensation Guidelines for the Evaluation of Permanent Impairment: Source for the NSW assessment framework, MMI, AMA5 adoption, NSW modifications and exclusions.
- SIRA spine chapter and NSW Table 4.3 pelvic fracture rows: Source for NSW pelvic, sacroiliac and coccyx fracture rows used in spine/pelvis permanent impairment assessment.
Related injury and claim pages
- Common injury evidence hub
- Work injury claims NSW
- Claim process
- Compensation and entitlements
- Ask about an impairment issue
- NSW Injury Claim Evidence, Documents and Templates - This library helps injured people organise incident, medical, income, correspondence and daily-impact records into a clear working file, without presenting any checklist or template as an official form.
- NSW Injury Claims by Location - NSW Injury Claims accepts enquiries from across NSW. The claim pathway depends on how the injury happened, while phone, online and electronic document handling can make an initial enquiry possible without creating a false impression of premises in every region.
- Pelvic Fracture WPI Assessment NSW - Spine and pelvis permanent impairment assessment guide with NSW Guideline source notes.
Need a practical claim check?
If an impairment percentage, medical assessment or insurer decision is affecting your NSW injury claim, send the decision or report for a practical review. This is general information only and does not guarantee any result.
Request a free claim checkAssessment scope for Coccyx Injury WPI Assessment
The assessment scope for Coccyx Injury WPI Assessment should be stated precisely before any percentage is considered. The file should identify whether that label describes the primary diagnosed condition, a symptom of another injury, a regional overview or one component of a broader impairment. Findings from another body area or diagnosis should not be transferred without explanation. The report should connect the stated condition to the correct NSW Guideline chapter, objective findings, treatment history and any permitted combination or apportionment method. This distinction is particularly important where similar page labels cover different clinical questions.
- Confirm the diagnosis and body area being assessed as Coccyx Injury
- Separate condition-specific findings from overlapping symptoms or injuries in another body area
- Check that the selected NSW Guideline chapter and method match the condition actually assessed
- Explain any combination, apportionment or exclusion rather than relying on the page label alone
Start with maximum medical improvement
Permanent impairment should generally be assessed when the condition is stable and unlikely to change substantially in the next year. Treatment, surgery and rehabilitation history may affect whether the timing is appropriate.
Use the NSW Guidelines first
The NSW Guidelines adopt AMA5 in many areas, but NSW modifications prevail. Do not assume an AMA5 table applies without checking the NSW chapter and any public SIRA clarification.
Keep the assessment practical
A useful assessment file separates diagnosis, objective findings, surgery history, work capacity issues, apportionment questions and the body-area method used by the assessor.
Ask about an impairment issueDocuments and records
Injury evidence to organise early
The useful records depend on how the injury happened, when symptoms were recorded and how treatment or work capacity changed.
- Date, location and short description of the injury event
- Medical certificates, reports, scans, treatment records or hospital documents
- Employer, insurer, police, incident or venue records where relevant
- Photos, witness details, dashcam or other supporting material if available
- Income, superannuation, work capacity or leave records where relevant
- Letters, emails, claim numbers and decisions already received
Common questions
Injury evidence questions
Short general answers only. The right next step depends on the facts, dates and documents.
Is WPI the same as being unable to work?
No. WPI is a medical impairment measure. Work capacity, weekly payments, damages, treatment disputes and TPD issues are separate questions, although the evidence may overlap.
Does pain alone create a WPI percentage?
Not by itself. NSW workers compensation excludes AMA5 Chapter 18 on pain. Chronic pain is assessed through the underlying diagnosed condition where the Guidelines permit it.
Can secondary psychological symptoms be added to physical WPI?
In NSW workers compensation, secondary psychiatric or psychological impairment is not assessed as permanent impairment. Primary psychological impairment is assessed separately and is not combined with physical WPI.
Injury pathway enquiry
Not sure which claim type matches the injury?
Start with how the injury happened, what medical records exist and how work or daily activity has changed. The same injury can sit in different pathways.