A 39-year-old baker with knee injury causing slight instability and a restriction from heavy lifting has what level of permanent disability?

• A. 18 percent
• B. 20 percent
• C. 22 percent
• D. 24 percent

Answer: (C)

Permanent disability in this context is tied to the impairment rating assigned for the knee injury, using the California rating schedule. When the knee is shown to have slight instability and the person has a functional restriction from heavy lifting, the impairment category corresponds to about 22 percent of whole-person impairment. The stability issue plus the lifting restriction together produce a level of disability that sits at 22%. Age and occupation don’t typically change this impairment percentage itself in the rating schedule; they may influence any earning-capacity adjustments afterward, but the impairment rating here is the 22% figure.