Rateable permanent disability shall not be increased if the subjective disability is described as:

• A. Minimal
• B. Slight
• C. Moderate
• D. Severe

Answer: (A)

Rateable permanent disability ratings are based on objective impairment, with subjective complaints playing a supporting role only when there’s documented impact on function. When the subjective disability is described as minimal, there isn’t meaningful additional functional loss beyond what the objective impairment already shows, so the rating should not be increased. In practice, this means a minimal subjective description cannot raise the PD rating, even if the person reports some symptoms. If the subjective description were something larger, like slight or moderate, there could be room for adjustment if supported by objective findings, but minimal indicates no grounds for upping the rating.