What is typically not included in the calculation of a permanent disability rating?

The calculation of a permanent disability rating in California workers' compensation typically focuses on objective criteria related to the injury and its impact on the employee's ability to work. One of the primary factors in this calculation is the physical limitations resulting from the injury, which helps to create a comprehensive assessment of how the injury affects the individual's everyday life and work capabilities.

Subjective complaints, while they can be an important aspect of a worker’s experience of their injury, are not usually quantifiable in a way that contributes directly to the calculation of a permanent disability rating. Instead, this rating relies more heavily on tangible and observable factors such as the extent of physical limitations and the results of functional capacity assessments.

In contrast, the other options, like physical limitations and functional capacity assessments, are integral to determining the severity and impact of the injury on the worker's ability to perform work tasks. Meanwhile, employer's witnesses can provide context and support regarding the worker’s capabilities and job performance, but their testimonies do not directly contribute to the formal calculation of the permanent disability rating itself. Therefore, subjective complaints are typically excluded from the rating calculation since they lack the objective basis that supports the other components of the disability rating process.