skadegrad

Skadegrad is a Norwegian term that refers to the degree of injury or the severity of impairment following an incident. In legal, medical, and insurance contexts it denotes the estimated permanent impairment or functional limitation resulting from an injury and is used to quantify the extent of loss for purposes of compensation, benefits, or disability entitlements.

The assessment of skadegrad is typically performed by medical professionals, often guided by national or professional guidelines. The process relies on clinical findings, imaging results, functional tests, and the predicted impact on daily activities and work capacity. The result is commonly expressed as a percentage of permanent impairment or as a categorization such as minor, moderate, or severe.

Skadegrad informs financial compensation in civil liability cases, workers’ compensation, and disability benefits. In general, a higher skadegrad corresponds to a larger entitlement or larger compensation, whereas a low or zero skadegrad may limit compensation. It is important to note that skadegrad reflects impairment and functional loss rather than pain levels or overall quality of life, and it may not fully capture non-economic harms such as distress or inconvenience.

Because skadegrad assessments involve clinical judgment and are used in legal and insurance decisions, there is potential for variation between evaluators and for disputes to arise. This has led to calls for clear guidelines, standardized procedures, and transparent processes to ensure consistent and fair outcomes.