Which statement best describes the use of the MDT table in disability rating?

• A. Ratings are simply added.
• B. Only the most severe impairment counts.
• C. Pyramiding is avoided by using the MDT table.
• D. All impairments are ignored.

Answer: (C)

The key idea is avoiding double-counting impairments when rating multiple disabilities. The MDT table provides a standardized way to combine different impairments into a single overall rating, so you don’t add percentages or count overlapping limitations multiple times. This prevents pyramiding, where the same functional loss gets counted more than once, and yields a fair, consistent total disability percentage.

That’s why this option is the best: it directly states that pyramiding is avoided by using the MDT table. Saying ratings are simply added would risk overcounting; claiming only the most severe impairment counts ignores the impact of multiple impairments; and saying all impairments are ignored is plainly incorrect. The MDT table ensures multiple impairments are integrated into one coherent overall rating.