The type and severity of disability following major trauma was evaluated using the Functional Independence Measurement (FIM) in 93 patients brought to the Royal London Hospital (RLH) by helicopter. The range of values for FIM is from 18 (dependent) to 126 (fully independent) in the six sections of self-care, sphincter control, mobility, locomotion, communication and social cognition. The sections are divided into 18 separate items and graded 1-7. Forty-eight patients were discharged directly to home with a median FIM score of 124; 11 were transferred to another acute hospital with a median FIM of 63 and seven went to rehabilitation unit with a median FIM of 58. At six months, 79 per cent of the patients reported no disability and 89 per cent of the original 93 patients were at home with a median FIM of 126. The mean amount of rehabilitation provided at the RLH for all patients was 11 h 20 min with a mean in-patient length of stay of 14 days. The actual and optimal amount of therapy for rehabilitation worked out at less than 1 h per day in the acute hospital. FIM is a useful, practical and simple methodology for recording disability in the acute hospital. It provides a measure for assessing the original disability, its progress and residual limitations. Nurses, doctors and therapists can use it for establishing care plans and goals as well as deciding the transfer of the patient to the most appropriate place for future care.