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 Skin, scarring, burns and healed visible changes
Skin, scarring and burn WPI is assessed through the NSW skin chapter after the condition has stabilised. A visible scar or burn history does not automatically mean WPI: the assessor considers the whole skin system, signs and symptoms, ADL impact and treatment requirements.
What injuries can happen to this body part?
- Burn scars, grafts or healed thermal/chemical injury
- Laceration scars, surgical scars or traumatic scarring after workplace injury
- Hypertrophic, painful, sensitive, adherent or contracture-related scarring
- Dermatitis or occupational skin condition affecting function or treatment needs
- Facial disfigurement, which may need a different NSW table rather than the general non-facial scarring approach
Symptoms and findings that matter
- Stable scar appearance and symptoms after healing
- Whether the issue is facial disfigurement, non-facial scarring or a broader skin disorder
- Signs and symptoms, ADL limitation and treatment requirements
- Whether TEMSKI applies for minor skin impairment in the 0-4% range
- Whether more than 4% requires a specialist trained in skin body-system assessment
- Whether surgical scars are uncomplicated standard scars that may rate 0%
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
- Skin, scarring and burn WPI is assessed through the NSW skin chapter after the condition has stabilised. A visible scar or burn history does not automatically mean WPI: the assessor considers the whole skin system, signs and symptoms, ADL impact and treatment requirements.
- Assessment source: NSW Guidelines Chapter 14 skin. NSW adopts AMA5 Chapter 8 with modifications, treats the skin as one organ, and uses TEMSKI for minor skin impairment in the 0-4% range.
- 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
- Skin WPI is not mainly a joint ROM assessment.
- If scarring causes contracture or limits a joint, the assessor may need to explain whether the skin chapter, musculoskeletal chapter or both are relevant without double counting the same limitation.
NSW skin, scar and burn assessment rules
Whole skin systemThe skin is treated as a single organ. Non-facial scarring is assessed as one overall impairment rather than adding each scar separately.
Scar can rate 0%A scar may be present and still rate 0% WPI. Uncomplicated standard surgical scars do not of themselves rate impairment.
TEMSKIThe NSW TEMSKI method divides minor skin impairment in class 1 into 0-4% WPI categories on a best-fit basis. More than 4% requires a specialist trained in skin assessment.
ADL and treatmentSkin impairment considers signs/symptoms, limitation in activities of daily living and treatment requirements, not appearance alone.
Practical WPI examples
- A scar immediately after injury may look different after healing, so timing matters.
- Visible scarring can be relevant, but the assessment needs the skin chapter method rather than emotional impact alone.
- A small uncomplicated surgical scar can be visible and still rate 0% WPI.
- A burn with grafting, sensitivity and ADL limitation may need a proper skin-system assessment rather than a photograph-only approach.
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
- Medical photographs after healing
- Plastic surgery or dermatology report
- Burns clinic notes
- Graft, debridement or scar-revision records
- Treatment chronology
- Evidence of sensitivity, adherence, recurrent breakdown or ADL effect
- Work-task evidence where skin sensitivity affects duties
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
- Assuming every visible scar has WPI
- Adding multiple non-facial scars separately instead of assessing the whole skin system
- Using immediate post-injury photos instead of stable healed findings
- Ignoring the facial-disfigurement pathway where the scar is facial
Assessment source
Assessment source: Assessment source: NSW Guidelines Chapter 14 skin. NSW adopts AMA5 Chapter 8 with modifications, treats the skin as one organ, and uses TEMSKI for minor skin impairment in the 0-4% range.
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 skin chapter, Chapter 14: Source for skin and scarring assessment where a stable skin impairment is alleged.
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.
- Burns WPI Assessment NSW - Other body systems 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 Skin and Scarring WPI Assessment
The assessment scope for Skin and Scarring 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 Skin and Scarring
- 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
Clinical boundary for this WPI guide
This guide addresses residual skin change and scarring from injury, surgery or another accepted condition. The file should describe location, dimensions, texture, adherence, symptoms and any effect on movement or function, supported by clinical examination and appropriately dated photographs where available. A burn may be the original cause, but a broader burn assessment may also need grafting, contracture, sensation and multi-region consequences beyond appearance alone.
- Measure and describe the location, dimensions and physical character of scars
- Keep dated clinical photographs under consistent conditions where possible
- Record adherence, sensitivity, breakdown or restriction of movement
- Separate residual scarring from a wider burn injury involving grafts or contracture
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.