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deterioration precipitated by the surgical intervention utilized to correct the prior problem. However, Dr. Hussamy did testify in such a way that could attribute a 3% permanent partial impairment rating to his May 12, 1995 accident. Dr. Seig has also been deposed. He was willing to assign a 3.5% rating to the claimant's industrial accident with Indian River County. The willingness of these physicians to assign some permanency to the May 12, 1995 accident seriously complicates our case. We have already paid the claimant the impairment benefits which result from that rating. However, the claimant is asserting that he is unable to work as a result of the accident which occurred at Indian River County. The County has made every effort to force him to return to work. However, he has resisted all of those efforts. The most troubling aspect of this case is the apparent psychiatric overlay which exists. This claimant seems to be very unstable and distraught. Dr. Dippy has indicated that the claimant does suffer from depression which seems to be related to the May 12, 1995 accident. The threshold for causal relationship between a psychiatric condition and a workers' compensation injury is very minimal. All that needs to occur is that the claimant suffer some form of physical injury. In this case, the twisting accident will suffice. Second, the claimant needs to establish that he is suffering from a psychiatric disorder which is attributable to that injury. In this case, Dr. Dippy's impression will satisfy that issue. A psychiatric condition can be a singular basis for someone's acceptance as permanently and totally disabled. Mr. Schuckers has been accepted by social security as being entitled to social security disability benefits. That is a significant fact in light of the May 12, 1995 date of accident. The statute in existence for that date allows a claimant to be determined permanently and totally disabled if he is severely disabled enough to receive social security disability benefits. The claimant's argument is going to be that the May 12, 1995 accident pushed him over the edge and made him unemployable. Therefore, it is the May 12, 1995 accident that has rendered him permanently and totally disabled. ; Given the social security benefits that he is receiving, the present value of this case is in the range of $170,000.00 for the indemnity benefits alone. Consideration must also be given to the exposure for ongoing medical care which will inevitably include psychiatric care. As I am sure you are aware, psychiatric care can be quite expensive. It involves frequent office visits together with expensive medications. The settlement value for the medical benefits alone on this case is easily in the vicinity of $18,000.00 to $25,000.00. The indemnity benefits on permanent total disability cases settle between 30% and 60% of the present value. The range depends upon the likelihood that the claimant is going to be found entitled to those benefits. Applying; that range to the present value gives rise to an indemnity settlement range between $51,000.00 and $102,000.00. In all probability, the Judge of Compensation Claims would be compelled by the fact that this claimant had a successful work history until the May 12, 1995 accident. It could be easy for the claimant to convince the judge that the May 12. 1995 accident is the major contributing cause to his inability to return to work, need for ongoing medical care, and need for ongoing psychiatric care. Therefore, I believe that this settlement is very beneficial to the County. The exposure for. indemnity benefits, medical benefits, and resultant_ attorney's fees will be severe. 4 NOVEMBER 14, 1996 A