If you have dealt with applying for benefits with the VA long enough, it probably comes as no surprise to learn that the VA often disagrees about claims of total disability individual unemployability (TDIU).
Vocational expert evaluation and report can go a long way in proving that a veteran does in fact qualify for TDIU.
In claims without a vocational experts assessment/report, the VA relies on VA doctors to make the determination of unemployability; however, in most cases, only an experienced vocational expert has the knowledge to determine whether a veteran qualifies for TDIU. This is because the VA doctors think in medical terms and limitations and not vocational terms and work place issues, conflicts, and limitations. So the VA doctors arent able to fully delineate how one or more medical issues affects a persons ability to work nor their ability to obtain and maintain employment.
Talk to a Vocational Expert with experience handling TDIU claims for help today.
The Benefits of having a Vocational Experts assessment can make or break a VA disability claim
In a many TDIU claim, a veteran claims that they cannot return to their former employment, own occupation, because of a service-connected disability. The question then shifts to whether the veteran has the education, work experience, transferrable skill set, and adequate physical and mental capacity to secure and maintain another type of employment, any Occupation.
Many times you will hear that a claim was denied because the VA Judge reports the person can do UNskilled SEDENTARY WORK. The reality is, the only what to beat this if it occurs is to have a Vocational Expert assess your claim and limitations.
Vocational experts have the industrial knowledge and expertise to evaluate the opportunities in the current marketplace compared to the veteran’s current circumstances. A vocational expert often is the only person qualified to render an expert opinion on a veteran’s ability to obtain another position and can critically alter the final decision in a TDIU claim.
A vocational expert creates a vocational assessment report for the TDIU claim, which can overcome unqualified opinions rendered by VA doctors and C&P examiners who lack experience and expertise in the vocational field. This report will typically include a review of the veteran’s medical record, identification of the service-related conditions, a breakdown of the veteran’s prior work experience, an evaluation of transferable skills, and a vocational discussion about the potential for this veteran’s ability to return to work. This report helps to point out limitations connected to service-related disabilities and improve your chances of qualifying for a TDIU claim.
VA doctor evaluations typically only look at the individual disability and whether that disability prevents you from working. A vocational expert considers other aspects of how this disability might affect employment, such as the effects of pain and medication associated with disability and whether it affects the ability to concentrate, focus, complete instructions, and complete tasks in a timely manner. A vocational expert’s review also takes into consideration things like the veteran’s ability to communicate with managers and fellow employees, adaptability to stressful situations, and what accommodations would need to be necessary to employ this particular veteran. A VA doctor or C&P examiner takes none of this into consideration when making a determination about TDIU claims, which is why having a vocational expert report included in your application for benefits can be such a beneficial addition to your claims.
We at SouthEast Vocational Experts serve Veterans with disabilities & Veteran Advocates nationwide, including clients near all VA regional offices and their areas of jurisdiction: places such as Montgomery, Alabama; Houston, Texas; Dallas, Texas; Anchorage, Alaska; Phoenix, Arizona; Little Rock, Arkansas; South Carolina; North Carolina; San diego, California; San Fransisco, California; Los Angeles, California; Oakland, California; San Diego, California; Denver, Colorado; Hartford, Connecticut; Wilmington, Delaware, Washington, D.C.; St. Petersburg, Florida; Atlanta, Georgia; Honolulu, Hawaii; Boise, Idaho; Chicago, Illinois; Indianapolis, Indiana; Des Moines, Iowa; Wichita, Kansas; Louisville, Kentucky; New Orleans, Louisiana; Togus, Maine; Boston, Massachusetts; Detroit, Michigan; St. Paul, Minnesota; Jackson, Mississippi; St. Louis, Missouri; Ft. Harrison, Montana; Lincoln, Nebraska; Reno, Nevada; Manchester, New Hampshire; Newark, New Jersey; Albuquerque, New Mexico; New York City; Winston-Salem, North Carolina; Fargo, North Dakota; Cleveland, Ohio; Muskogee, Oklahoma; Portland, Oregon; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; Providence, Rhode Island; Columbia, South Carolina; Sioux Falls, South Dakota; Tampa, Florida; Nashville, Tennessee; Houston and Waco, Texas; Salt Lake City, Utah; White River Junction, Vermont; Roanoke, Virginia; Seattle, Washington; Huntington, West Virginia; Milwaukee, Wisconsin; Atlanta, Georgia; Columbus, Georgia; Savannah, Georgia; Jacksonville, Florida; Pensacola, Florida; Mobile, Alabama; and Cheyenne, Wyoming.