If resource allocation and policy for the reduction of the burden of health problems are to be effective, the burden posed by injuries needs to be carefully evaluated. The disability-adjusted life-year (DALY), as used in the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) 1990, 2010 and 2013 studies,1,2 is based on both premature mortality – i.e. years of life lost – and years lived with disability (YLD).3,4 The assignment of disability weights, to represent the decrease in health associated with specific diseases or injuries, is a fundamental step in the estimation of YLD.3,5 Different approaches to estimating disability weights3 can lead to substantially different estimates of DALYs and YLD.6,7