The Appeal Panel accepts the history Medical Assessor Bodel has detailed in his report and also his findings from his examination and his summary of the relevant matters. No point is served in repeating that.[5]
The Appeal Panel also confirms the assessment Medical Assessor Bodel provided in his report to the Appeal Panel and for the reasons the Medical Assessor has explained in his report. The Appeal Panel consequently assesses the appellant's permanent impairment relating to his left upper extremity is 12% WPI.
The Appeal Panel notes that no issue was taken with the Medical Assessor's assessment of the appellant's permanent impairment relating to scarring. The Appeal Panel considers that that is a correct assessment in any event.
Hence, the Appeal Panel assesses that the degree of the appellant's permanent impairment resulting from his injury is 13% WPI.
For completeness the Appeal Panel notes that the appellant cannot be assessed on the basis that he has CRPS 2 because the evidence does not establish that in the incident of 15 July 2023 he suffered an injury to a nerve.
For these reasons, the Appeal Panel has determined that the MAC issued on 17 October 2025 should be revoked, and a new MAC should be issued. The new certificate is attached to this statement of reasons.

The applicant has suffered a crush injury to the tip of three fingers. He has ongoing residual disability only in the index and ring finger.

The level of Whole Person Impairment for the injury to the hand, including a positive rating for CRPS, is a 12% Whole Person Impairment in this case."

The Appeal Panel accepts the history Medical Assessor Bodel has detailed in his report and also his findings from his examination and his summary of the relevant matters. No point is served in repeating that.[5]
The Appeal Panel also confirms the assessment Medical Assessor Bodel provided in his report to the Appeal Panel and for the reasons the Medical Assessor has explained in his report. The Appeal Panel consequently assesses the appellant's permanent impairment relating to his left upper extremity is 12% WPI.
The Appeal Panel notes that no issue was taken with the Medical Assessor's assessment of the appellant's permanent impairment relating to scarring. The Appeal Panel considers that that is a correct assessment in any event.
Hence, the Appeal Panel assesses that the degree of the appellant's permanent impairment resulting from his injury is 13% WPI.
For completeness the Appeal Panel notes that the appellant cannot be assessed on the basis that he has CRPS 2 because the evidence does not establish that in the incident of 15 July 2023 he suffered an injury to a nerve.
For these reasons, the Appeal Panel has determined that the MAC issued on 17 October 2025 should be revoked, and a new MAC should be issued. The new certificate is attached to this statement of reasons.

This Certificate is issued pursuant to s 328(5) of the Workplace Injury Management and Workers Compensation Act 1998.

The Appeal Panel revokes the Medical Assessment Certificate of Medical Assessor Farhan Shahzad and issues this new Medical Assessment Certificate as to the matters set out in the table below:

Chapter, page and paragraph number in NSW workers compensation guidelines

Chapter, page, paragraph, figure and table numbers in AMA 5 Guides

Proportion of permanent impairment due to pre-existing injury, abnormality or condition

Sub-total/s % WPI (after any deductions in column 6)

Total % WPI (the Combined Table values of all sub-totals)

[3] Elsworthy at [41], cited with approval in Windley and in Turner v Truss-T-Frame Timbers Pty Ltd [2021] NSWSC 1088.

[5] Coco Cola Europacific Partners API Pty Ltd v Pombinho [2024] NSWCA 191 at [88].

Injury Management and Workers Compensation Act 1998

Personal Injury Commission Rules 2021

Discrimination Act 1992

Ahmadi v Upscale Painting and Decorating Pty Ltd [2026] NSWPICMP 117; (17 February 2026)

The procedures on appeal are contained in s 328 of the 1998 Act. The appeal is to be by way of review of the original medical assessment but the review is limited to the grounds of appeal on which the appeal is made.
In Campbelltown City Council v Vegan [2006] NSWCA 284 the Court of Appeal held that the Appeal Panel is obliged to give reasons.
Paragraph 17.5 of the Guidelines stipulate the requirements for an injury to be diagnosed as CRPS for the purpose of rating a worker's permanent impairment from such an injury. They are:

Ahmadi v Upscale Painting and Decorating Pty Ltd [2026] NSWPICMP 117;

At a glance

Court

Decision date

Catchwords

Source

Catchwords

Judgment (14 paragraphs)

Parties

Legislation Cited (3)

Cases Cited (2)

Ahmadi v Upscale Painting and Decorating Pty Ltd [2026] NSWPICMP 117; (17 February 2026)