Legal Definitions - impairment

In legal terms, impairment refers to the state or fact of something being damaged, weakened, or diminished in its value, function, or quality. It signifies a reduction in effectiveness, integrity, or worth.

Here are some examples to illustrate this concept:

• Imagine a situation where a new, noisy highway is built directly adjacent to a residential property. The constant traffic noise and increased pollution could lead to an impairment of the property's market value. This illustrates impairment because the property's desirability and financial worth are significantly diminished due to external factors, even if the physical structure remains intact.

• Consider a business that relies heavily on a specific piece of machinery for its production line. If that machinery breaks down and can only be repaired to operate at 50% of its original capacity, this represents an impairment of the business's operational efficiency. The machine's functional capability is weakened, directly impacting the company's ability to produce goods at its previous rate.

• In the context of personal injury law, if someone suffers a severe accident that results in a permanent loss of sensation or mobility in a limb, this would be considered an impairment of their physical capabilities. Their ability to perform certain tasks or engage in activities they once could is damaged or diminished, affecting their quality of life and potentially their earning capacity.