[Characteristics of the most important accidental health impairments in the population of the insured in PZU group].

The aim of the study is to present and analyze the types of bodily injuries which are the causes of the most often issued medical certificates in the population of insured against accident. The following study encompasses the years 2001-2003 where certificates issued by about 1500 doctors cooperating with partnerships of PZU Group were analyzed. In this period 1 300 000 permanent impairments which were stated on the basis of PZU's Group Norm Table of Percentage Evaluation of Health's Permanent Impairments were registered in the computer data base. On the basis of available data the following issues were characterized: 1) what are the most often evaluated injuries?, 2) what average values of permanent health impairment were issued by doctors in particular cases?, 3) in what percentage doctors classified health impairment to particular groups of after-effect severity and, 4) in what percentage health impairment was not stated? For the needs of the following study the human body was divided into particular parts: 1) head with neck and central nervous system, 2) sight, 3) ear, 4) chest, 5) abdomen and urinary system, 6) spine and spinal cord, 7) limb with hip joint, 8) leg, 9) knee joint, 10) region of ankle joint, 11) foot, 12) arm with shoulder, 13) arm, 14) hand, 15) injuries of peripheral nervous system Hands are the most often evaluated part of the body by doctors. Injuries of hands constitute 20% of all evaluated parts of the body. The average value of permanent impairment to health is 3.1%. In 6.7% cases of hand injury evaluation, doctors did not state a permanent impairment to health. The most severe injuries--amputations constituted 9.6% of cases.