Aggravation of Pre-existing Disability

Workers’ compensation does not presuppose a worker will meet any prescribed standard of health or physical condition; the employer instead accepts the worker in the workers’ existing condition. This means that if an injury is the proximate cause of death or disability, the previous physical condition is immaterial and recovery may be had independently of the pre-existing weakness or disease. Such a substantial aggravation must be documented by objective diagnostic findings, objective clinical findings, or objective test results.