An employee has an injury in February 2000 and, in July 2000, has an aggravation. How should the file be handled?

• A. Combine the two injuries in one file.
• B. Set up a separate file for the new injury.
• C. Apportion permanent disability.
• D. Close the file.

Answer: (C)

Two related injuries require careful allocation of impairment. When an employee sustains a February injury and then experiences an aggravation in July, the proper approach is to apportion the permanent disability between the two events. This means determining how much of the permanent impairment is due to the original February injury and how much is due to theJuly aggravation, and assigning the impairment accordingly. The file stays as one case, with the PD split to reflect each injury’s contribution, rather than combining everything into a single undifferentiated rating or creating a separate file for the new injury. Closing the file would leave ongoing disability unaddressed, and treating the two events as completely separate would misrepresent their relationship.