“[C]ommon examples of physical disorders responsible for impairment: Joint injury or arthritic conditions of an extremity or of the spine [can limit the range of motion or ability to bear force or weight]; Amputation; Peripheral nerve injury [can produce weakness [paresis] of a muscle or loss of sensation [anesthesia] over a region of the body; Muscle injury [can produce shortening [contracture] of the muscle causing limitation of function; Brain injury [can deprive the individual of memory, ability to concentrate, judgment, muscle control, orientation to time or place, problem-solving ability, etc., resulting epilepsy, can limit driving, freedom to enter public places without risk of embarrassment, participation in potentially hazardous activities, etc.]; Vision or hearing loss [can limit perception [e.g., of art, music, nature, entertainment, etc.], physical activities requiring full perception [e.g., driving, athletics and other physical recreational activities, etc.], and all activities in hazardous places where full perception is necessary to avoid injury]; A need for regular use of medication [can produce side effects such as dizziness, insomnia, nausea, diarrhea, drowsiness, confusion, etc. [these can cause various impairments]]; Heart disease [can prohibit physical exertion or participation in anxiety-producing situations because these create danger of an acute heart attack]; Hypertension [can prohibit physical exertion or participation in anxiety-producing situations because these create danger of a complication such as stroke]; Lung injury [can prohibit physical exertion or travel to high altitudes because these create shortness of breath and danger of heart attack]; Hypertension, obesity, atherosclerosis, peptic ulcer, ulcerative colitis, and other disorders affected by diet [can restrict diet in order to prevent progression of the disorder or its symptoms]; Injury to the organs of reproduction [can produce loss of fertility or childbearing capacity].”
[Stein on Personal Injury Damages [certain citations omitted]]
