Tag: Neurological Disorders Veterans TDIU

VA – Veterans Disability – TDIU –

TDIU -EMPLOYABILITY  VOCATIONAL EVALUATION  PROCESS

This is more in-depth than the Social & Industrial Survey that the VA’s social worker will fill out, and again, the SW is not an Employability/Placeability Expert- This is why you need a Vocational Expert.

Our Vocational Experts will perform a Vocational Analysis of the Veteran

1) Document Review – General list:

Hospital, Physician, Psychiatrist, Psychologist, & Counselor records, Veteran’s Disability Forms.

2)  We Use Both a Structured and Unstructured Diagnostic  Vocational Interview

This will be a review of the Veteran’s history and will also outline the Veteran’s age, education, current work status, past work experience, skills, current medical & psychological impairment(s), treatments, and physical & psychological limitations.

(This can be in-person or through SKYPE)

3)  Assessment of Current Information and determining if more documentation is needed.

– If needed we will create Medical and/or Psychological Source forms and/or Mental Residual Functional Capacity (MRFC), Physical Residual Functional Capacity (RFC).  This will be the Veteran’s or their Representative responsibility to get completed and returned to us.

4)  Vocational Psychometric Assessment (most cases will require vocational assessments)

Based on the case we will determine what assessments need to be completed. We will assess not only aptitudes but also may measure Attention, Concentration, Memory, Cognitive Abilities, Mental Health Measures (Depression, Anxiety, GAD, PTSD, etc.)

5)  Perform a Vocational Diagnostic Assessment of Residual Employability.

6)   Labor Market Research (if needed)

Private, local, state, and federal government labor market studies to determine if any significant number of jobs exist that the claimant can perform in the local and national labor market.

The results of the vocational evaluation enable the Vocational Expert to render an opinion as to the employability of the permanently injured veteran’s and their ability to perform substantial gainful work activity based on quantifiable, accurate, and current information using Veteran’s Disability standards.

Neurological Disorders Veterans TDIU

 

There are many Veterans Suffering From Neurological Disorders

The pain experienced by veterans suffering from neurological disorders is unlike anything else. It can affect every part of veterans’ lives, from the ability to spend time with family to the ability to work or participate in the activities that they once enjoyed.

Veteran’s often are unable to maintain employment or obtain employment due to disabilities and vocational limitations related to their neurological disorders, including compression neuropathies, like carpal tunnel syndrome or ulnar neuropathy, and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) or “Lou Gehrig’s Disease.”

Peripheral Neuropathy

Peripheral neuropathy is a problem with the peripheral nervous system — the nerves that carry information to and from the brain and spinal cord. The problem produces pain, loss of sensation and movement difficulties. There can be many service-related accidents or injuries that cause peripheral neuropathy. This can inhibit your hand-eye coordination, manual dexterity, finger dexterity, reaching, handling, walking and other limitations that can affect your employability. If you are unable to maintain employment and need to have a TDIU Assessment to show how this affects your ability to maintain and obtain employment you should consider a TDIU Vocational Evaluation.

Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis or Lou Gehrig’s Disease

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis — often referred to as Lou Gehrig’s Disease — is a serious and progressive disease that affects nerve cells in the brain and the spinal cord. A veteran with ALS may experience deterioration of the motor neurons that limits his or her ability to control movement. Eventually, it may lead to paralysis or death.

All veterans who develop ALS at any time after serving in the military may be eligible for compensation for that disability.

Neurological Disorders in Gulf War Veterans

Many veterans who were deployed to the Persian Gulf for Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm were exposed to a dangerous mix of different chemicals and vaccines. They returned with special health problems. These problems include numbness, loss of muscle strength, loss of control of bowel or bladder, muscle pain, weakness, headache, brain damage, memory loss, sleep disorders and gastrointestinal problems. While they were not taken seriously at first, they eventually became known as Gulf War Syndrome.

Radiculopathy

Radiculopathy is not a specific condition, but a problem that affects the nerves and causes them not to work properly. The result is pain, weakness, numbness and lack of muscle control. If you have been diagnosed, you may be eligible for veterans disability benefits under TDIU if you can how Expert proof on how this limitation affects your unemployability.