If you’ve suffered a shoulder, hip, knee, elbow, arm, or leg injury on the job in Colorado, there’s more at stake than just healing. The way your injury is evaluated by doctors—especially how they measure your range of motion—can directly impact the workers’ compensation benefits you receive.
At Kaplan Morrell, we’ve helped thousands of injured workers avoid costly mistakes and unfair benefit reductions. One key issue we see over and over is something called contralateral normalization—and it’s something every injured worker needs to understand.
What Is Contralateral Normalization?
Contralateral normalization is a medical assessment technique used by some workers’ compensation doctors. It sounds complicated, but in simple terms, it happens when a doctor compares the range of motion in your injured body part (for example, your right arm) to the range of motion in your uninjured body part (your left arm).
The idea is that your “normal” function can be measured by looking at the uninjured side of your body. But this comparison can work against you—especially if the supposedly “normal” limb is actually not normal due to:
- Prior injuries
- Degenerative conditions
- Natural asymmetry in mobility or strength
Let’s say you injured your right shoulder. The doctor will measure how much movement you’ve lost in that arm. But then they decide to also test your left shoulder—the uninjured side. If your left shoulder isn’t perfect (because of aging, arthritis, or an old injury), the doctor may reduce your impairment rating by comparing it to your already limited left side. That shrinks your compensation unfairly.
What Is Contralateral Normalization?
Contralateral normalization is a medical assessment technique used by some workers’ compensation doctors. It sounds complicated, but in simple terms, it happens when a doctor compares the range of motion in your injured body part (for example, your right arm) to the range of motion in your uninjured body part (your left arm).
The idea is that your “normal” function can be measured by looking at the uninjured side of your body. But this comparison can work against you—especially if the supposedly “normal” limb is actually not normal due to:
- Prior injuries
- Degenerative conditions
- Natural asymmetry in mobility or strength
Let’s say you injured your right shoulder. The doctor will measure how much movement you’ve lost in that arm. But then they decide to also test your left shoulder—the uninjured side. If your left shoulder isn’t perfect (because of aging, arthritis, or an old injury), the doctor may reduce your impairment rating by comparing it to your already limited left side. That shrinks your compensation unfairly.
Why Contralateral Normalization Can Reduce Your Benefits
The problem is that workers’ compensation benefits for permanent impairment in Colorado are often based on how much range of motion or function you’ve lost. If the doctor normalizes your results using an already-impaired or stiff limb, your official impairment rating may show a smaller difference—and smaller difference means lower compensation.
That’s why this practice can be so harmful to injured workers. If the contralateral side isn’t truly healthy and normal, the comparison is flawed, and you may lose out on money you deserve.
What Should You Do If Your Doctor Asks to Measure the Other Side?
If your treating physician says they want to test the opposite arm, leg, hip, or knee, here’s what you need to do immediately:
- Speak up: Tell the doctor if you’ve ever had an injury, surgery, or condition that affected that other side—even if it was years ago. It’s crucial that the doctor knows the limb isn’t a valid baseline.
- Give full effort: If the doctor insists on measuring both sides, make sure you put in full effort when moving the non-injured side. Limited effort (even due to stiffness or fear of pain) may artificially lower your baseline, which will reduce your benefits.
By being proactive, you can help ensure your permanent impairment rating reflects your true functional loss.
(H2) How Does Impairment Rating Apportionment Work?
A related concept is called apportionment. This comes into play when:
- You’ve had prior injuries or impairments to the same body part, and
- Your current injury results in additional impairment.
Colorado law allows insurance companies to subtract prior impairment ratings from your current rating. For example, if you had a 12% impairment from a back injury in 2005, and now you have a 15% impairment from a new back injury, the law permits only the additional 3% to be compensable under the new claim.
Apportionment is legal, but contralateral normalization is different—it can result in inappropriate reductions that may not hold up if challenged.
Protect Your Workers’ Compensation Benefits
If you’re facing a workers’ compensation case involving:
- Arm or leg injuries
- Shoulder, knee, or hip injuries
- Permanent partial disability (PPD) ratings
It’s critical to understand how medical measurements and legal evaluations interact.
Here are steps you can take:
- Always disclose past injuries or limitations.
- Don’t accept an impairment rating without legal review—small differences in rating calculations can mean thousands of dollars in lost benefits.
- If you feel your doctor is minimizing your injury, get a second opinion or contact a workers’ compensation attorney.
We’re Here to Represent You—Free Consultations Available
At Kaplan Morrell, we’ve been helping Colorado workers protect their rights and benefits since 1995. Our team is experienced, compassionate, and ready to fight for you—especially when insurance companies and doctors use tactics that unfairly reduce your compensation. Call 303-780-7329 for a consultation.
Don’t let a medical measurement mistake cost you the benefits you deserve. We’re here to help you every step of the way.
