This is a growing collection of topics aimed at developing a broader understanding of personal injury claims to assist professionals in the medico-legal industry. While these are generally accepted principles, there may be differing opinions.

Basic Statistics & Earnings Research

To use earnings research appropriately the underlying statistics need to be understood. 

Data providers sort earnings into different categories (e.g. Paterson or Unskilled & Semi-skilled). The earnings in those categories are ordered from lowest to highest and then divided into 4 quarters. Values mostly provided are Q1 / 25% / lower quartile, Q2 / 50th % / median, and Q3 / 75th % / upper quartile. 



This method is used to exclude outliers that fall below Q1 and above Q3 that will distort the average earnings. This means that there can be claimants in the same job category that earn less than Q1 or more than Q3.
The median is the mid-point of the data set and the most reasonable indication of earnings in this data set. Median should not be confused with average.
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Earnings Expert - Understanding remuneration

Salary Structure Payslips: Valuing the total earnings Loss of earnings and support claims are based on total earnings.
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The misuse of Paterson grading

The Paterson employment grading model is frequently used by IOPs in medico-legal reports. The use, and misuse thereof, h
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Self-employed claimants without a Forensic Accounting report

If attorneys do not want to appoint an accountant, actuaries must use the IP report provided. The best approach is to r
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Possible vs Probable

Actuary speak says that a “probability” is a chance from 1% to 100%. Legal speak says that a “probabil
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How IOP reports are misinterpreted

Here is a list of phrases commonly found in IOP reports where the technical or legal interpretation differs from the ind
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Employer Certificates

An employer certificate is a valuable form of collateral that can provide information missing from other sources. Tax ce
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Apportionment

A person who is being sued for damages caused by their negligence may raise a defense of contributory negligence. Contri
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Nurses' Remuneration

This serves as a guide on the progression and promotion structures for government-employed nurses.RanksFirstly, any pers
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Educators' Remuneration

This serves as a guide on the progression and promotion structures for government-employed educators.Relative Education
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SAPS Remuneration

This serves as a guide on the progression and promotion structures for South African Police Services. Training and Indu
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Public Service Act appointees not covered by OSDs

Progression and promotion structures for Public Service Act appointees not covered by Occupation Specific Dispensation.I
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Government Employees’ Remuneration

The purpose of this guide is to assist Industrial Psychologists in understanding the remuneration structures in place fo
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2 Accidents

There may be cases where the claimant is involved in 2 motor vehicle accidents and can claim loss of earnings for each.
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Old Age Pension Grants & Retirement

South Africans with an income less than 3.8596 times the pension grant are entitled to an old-age pension from age 60 (c
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Deductible & Non-deductible benefits in Loss of Earnings Claims

A deductible benefit is a benefit that is deducted in the loss of earnings calculation, thus resulting in a lower claim
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Total Package vs Total Earnings

The total package includes fringe benefits, but might excludes non-guaranteed earnings like overtime, commission, and pe
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Basic Statistics & Earnings Research

To use earnings research appropriately the underlying statistics need to be understood. Data providers sort earning
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How Contingencies Work

Contingencies refer to events that may happen with some level of probability and could affect earnings or the need for s
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Taxation of Damages Awards

These lump sum awards are capital and are thus tax-free in the hands of the recipient. When calculating the lump sum, no
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Earnings Inflation and Real Growth

Interest, earnings inflation, and net discount ratesThe interest rate is the rate that we assume claimants would earn on
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Loss of Support Claims

Loss of support claims may arise from any situation where a person who was earning an income and has dependents is unlaw
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Loss of Earnings Claims

The goal of the calculation is to determine a lump sum that will compensate the claimants for their loss. Loss of earni
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