25% Multiplier Does Not Apply
On May 15, 2026, the Iowa Supreme Court issued an important workers’ compensation decision interpreting the AMA Guides and the calculation of permanent impairment ratings for shoulder injuries. In Koeller v. Cardinal Logistics Management Corp., the Court held that the 25% multiplier from Table 16-18 of the AMA Guides does not apply to distal clavicle excision procedures rated under Table 16-27. As a result, the Court concluded that a distal clavicle excision warrants a 10% upper extremity impairment under the AMA Guides.
The decision also expressly rejected the Commissioner’s prior reasoning in Jay v. Archer Skid Loader Service, LLC, providing important guidance for future scheduled shoulder injury cases involving distal clavicle excisions.
As always, please contact any of our attorneys with questions regarding this or other workers’ compensation matters.
