TDIU Vocational Expert – Page 2 – Vocational Expert 404-735-6900

Work Adaptability

What is Adaptability

Adaptability means being flexible when things change. An adaptable person is one who is open to new ideas and concepts, to working independently or as part of a team and to carrying out multiple tasks or projects. Someone is regarded as adaptable if they are able to manage multiple assignments and tasks, set priorities and adapt to changing conditions and work assignments.

Adaptability is about:

Solving problems creatively – Adapting to novel situations or dynamic and changing situations frequently requires finding a solution for new and unfamiliar problems. A creative approach is best to solve the atypical, ill-defined and complex problems that confront today’s work situations and organizations.
Dealing with uncertain/unpredictable work situations – It may be necessary to demonstrate adaptability in relation to a wide variety of unpredictable and uncertain work situations which can result from many different factors, including such things as formal organizational restructuring, shifting business priorities, reductions or changes in available resources, or joining a new organization or group.
Learning new tasks, technologies and procedures – You may have to consider new ways to perform a job or learn different skill sets or tasks for a job or new career. Today’s employees are increasingly faced with technical innovation that is forcing them to learn new ways to perform their jobs. Workers can no longer expect to learn one job or one set of skills that will suit the needs of an entire career.
Interpersonal adaptability – More fluid work environments, characterized by the shift from manufacturing-oriented businesses to service oriented businesses, have made interpersonal adaptability an important skill.
Cultural adaptability – The globalization of the business environment, coupled with the extent to which workers today change jobs and organizations, requires the ability to perform effectively in different cultures and environments.
Physically-oriented adaptability – Adapting quickly and effectively to different physical conditions, such as heat, noise, uncomfortable climates and difficult environments, is required in many different jobs, for example, environmental sciences, research jobs, foreign service jobs, law enforcement officers, expedition and travel-related jobs.

How to improve/demonstrate your adaptability:

Unpredictability – Adjust to, and deal with the unpredictable nature of situations. In situations where there is inherent uncertainty and ambiguity, take reasonable action to prepare for eventualities using a common sense approach.
Professional development – Plan for, and participate in your own professional development to prepare for anticipated future job requirements. Get informed and keep skilled up! Anticipate future employment needs and adapt to changing job requirements by learning new tasks, technologies, procedures and roles.
Flexibility – Shift your orientation or focus as efficiently and smoothly as possible when the situation demands. Adjust your interpersonal style to achieve goals whenever necessary; for example, step up to take on a leadership role or act supportively as a team member.
Effective team membership – Adapt your interpersonal behavior to work effectively with a new team, co-workers, or customers. Be flexible and responsive, be someone who can effectively anticipate and fulfil others, needs..
Understand and fit in with the culture – Understand the goals and values (formal rules and principles as well as unwritten, informal goals and values that govern behavior) of the organization you wish to work in. Understand the organization’s history (traditions, customs, myths, and rituals that convey cultural knowledge), and politics (formal and informal relationships and power structures within the culture). Successfully integrate into a new culture or environment by fully understanding and willingly behaving in accordance with the accepted customs, values, rules, and structures operating within it.

Adaptability can be affected by difficulties with the following ‘abilities’
(Impairments that may impact on the particular ‘ability’ are shown in brackets)

Flexibility (autism; Mental Health Difficulties)
Self Motivation (Mental Health Difficulties)
Self Organization (ADHD; autism; dyslexia, dyspraxia; Mental Health Difficulties)

Click below to read about the effects of limited abilities on Adaptability as well as adjustments to practice/inclusive strategies.

Forensic Vocational Expert Services

Quick FACTS – Military Sexual Trauma – MST – PTSD

MILITARY SEXUAL TRAUMA
Disabilities determined by VA to be related to your military service can lead to monthly non-taxable compensation, enrollment in the
VA health care system, a 10-point hiring preference for federal employment and other important benefits. Ask your VA
representative or Veterans Service Organization representative about Disability Compensation, Pension, Health Care, Caregiver
Program, Career Services, Educational Assistance, Home Loan Guaranty, Insurance and/or Dependents and Survivors’ Benefits.
DISABILITY COMPENSATION FOR CONDITIONS RELATED TO
MILITARY SEXUAL TRAUMA (MST)
Disabilities determined by VA to be related to your military service can lead to monthly non-taxable compensation, enrollment in the VA health care system, a 10-point hiring preference for federal employment, and other important benefits. Ask your VA representative or Veterans Service
Organization representative about Disability Compensation, Pension, Health Care, Caregiver Program, Career Services, Educational Assistance, Home Loan Guaranty, Insurance and/or Dependents and Survivors Benefits. Some Veterans may have experienced sexual trauma while serving in the military. These kinds of experiences can affect Veterans’ mental and physical health, even many years later. Veterans can
apply for disability compensation for any current difficulties that are related to their service, including difficulties related to MST.

HOW DOES VA DEFINE MST?
MST is defined by Title 38 U.S. Code 1720D as “psychological trauma resulting from a physical assault of a sexual nature, battery of a sexual nature, or sexual harassment which occurred while the Veteran was serving on active duty, active duty for training, or inactive duty training.” Sexual harassment is defined as “repeated, unsolicited verbal or physical contact of a sexual nature which is threatening in character.”

ARE VETERANS GRANTED DISABILITY COMPENSATION FOR MST?
Veterans are not granted compensation for the traumatic event itself, but can be granted disability compensation for conditions that result from MST. Compensation – April 2015
CAN YOU DEVELOP POSTTRAUMATIC STRESS DIS ORDER (PTSD) OR OTHE R MENTAL HEALTH DISORDERS AS A RESULT OF MST?
Yes. Exposure to any trauma can potentially result in PTSD or another mental health disorder. PTSD is the most common mental health diagnosis related to experiencing MST.
WHAT EVIDENCE CAN SU PPORT A DISABILITY C LAIM FOR PTSD AS A R ESULT OF MST?
Department of Defense forms used in reporting incidents of sexual assault or harassment, as well as investigative reports during military service are direct evidence to support these claims. However, VA knows that events involving sexual trauma are not always officially reported. Therefore, for PTSD claims related to MST VA has relaxed the evidentiary requirements and looks for “markers” (i.e., signs, events, or circumstances) that provide some indication that the traumatic event happened.
These include, but are not limited to:  Records from law enforcement authorities, rape crisis centers, mental health counseling centers, hospitals, or physicians Pregnancy tests or tests for sexually transmitted diseases Statements from family members, roommates, fellow Servicemembers, clergy members, or counselors Requests for transfer to another military duty assignment. Deterioration in work performance Substance abuse. Episodes of depression, panic attacks, or anxiety without an identifiable cause. Unexplained economic or social behavioral changes Relationship issues, such as divorce Sexual dysfunction
VA RELAXED THE STAND ARDS OF EVIDENCE FOR COMBAT RELATED PTSD. ARE T HE STANDARDS OF EVIDENC E FOR MST – RELATED PTSD CLAIMS MORE STRINGENT THAN OTHER PTSD CLAIMS?
No. In fact, VA relaxed its evidentiary standard for disability claims related to MST in 2002 to ensure all available evidence supporting these claims is considered. Because military service records may lack corroborating evidence that a stressful event occurred, VA regulations make clear that evidence from non-military sources may be used to corroborate the Veteran’s account of the MST. Further, when direct evidence of an MST is not available, VA may request a medical opinion to consider a Veteran’s account and any “markers” to corroborate the occurrence of the MST event as related to current PTSD symptoms.

CAN PREVIOUSLY DENIE D MST RELATED P TSD DISABILITY CLAIM S BE RE – EVALUATED?
Yes. Increased awareness of MST issues resulted in special training beginning in December 2011 for all VA regional office personnel who process MST-related claims and the mental health clinicians conducting the examinations related to these claims. This ongoing training focuses on discovering “marker” evidence to support the claim. VA wants all Veterans who filed MST-related PTSD claims before December 2011 to receive the benefits of this nationwide training. If your claim was submitted before that date and denied, you can request a re-evaluation from your local VA regional office.
WHAT DO VETERANS NEE D TO DO TO GET A PRE VIOUSLY DENIED MST- RELATED PTSD DISABILITY CLAIM RE – EVALUATED?
Veterans who want VA to review their previously denied MST-related PTSD claim can start by contacting their regional office, calling 1-800-827-1000 or logging into their free eBenefits account at www.eBenefits.va.gov.
CAN VETERANS PROVIDE NEW INFORMATION FOR A RE-EVALUATION OF A PREVIOUSLY DENIED MSTRELATED PTSD DISABILITY CLAIM?
Yes. VBA will accept new evidence to be reviewed when a claim is re-evaluated. It’s best to send any new evidence at the same time as you request a re-evaluation. Veterans Service Organizations, as well as MST specialists and/or Women Veterans Coordinators available at every VA regional office, can help you determine what type of information is best to submit.
DO I NEED TO BE SERVICE CONNECTED FOR MY CONDITIONS RELATED TO MST TO GET TREATMENT?
No. VA provides free health care for physical and mental health conditions related to experiences of MST. No documentation of the MST experiences or disability compensation rating is required. Some Veterans may be able to receive this free MST-related health care even if they are not eligible for other VA care.
HOW CAN YOU APPLY FOR DISABILITY COMPENSATION?
You can apply for disability compensation by completing VA Form 21-526, Veteran’s Application for Compensation and/or Pension. You may also apply online at www.ebenefits.va.gov, or you can appoint an accredited Veterans Service Officer (VSO) to assist you. Male and female MST coordinators are available at every VA regional office to assist Veterans filing claims related to personal assault or MST. You can call 1-800-827-1000, and VA will put you in touch with an MST coordinator, or you can email the MST coordinator at your local regional office from the list of Compensation – April 2015 coordinators located at http://www.benefits.va.gov/benefits/mstcoordinators.asp . For informationabout MST-related treatment, visit ww.mentalhealth.va.gov/msthome.asp.

Overview

Female deep in thought.

Military sexual trauma (MST) is the term that the Department of Veterans Affairs uses to refer to sexual assault or repeated, threatening sexual harassment that occurred while the Veteran was in the military. It includes any sexual activity in which one is involved against one’s will – he or she may have been pressured into sexual activities (for example, with threats of negative consequences for refusing to be sexually cooperative or with implied faster promotions or better treatment in exchange for sex), may have been unable to consent to sexual activities (for example, when intoxicated), or may have been physically forced into sexual activities. Other experiences that fall into the category of MST include unwanted sexual touching or grabbing; threatening, offensive remarks about a person’s body or sexual activities; and/or threatening or unwelcome sexual advances.

Male deep in thought. Both women and men can experience MST during their service. All Veterans seen at Veterans Health Administration facilities are asked about experiences of sexual trauma because we know that any type of trauma can affect a person’s physical and mental health, even many years later. We also know that people can recover from trauma. VA has free services to help Veterans do this. You do not need to have a VA disability rating (i.e., “service connected”) to receive these services and may be able to receive services even if you are not eligible for other VA care. You do not need to have reported the incident(s) when they happened or have other documentation that they occurred.

This website has information about the health care services that VA has available for Veterans who experienced MST. For information about VA disability compensation for conditions related to MST, please view this fact sheet about Disability Compensation for Personal Assault or Military Sexual Trauma.

Psychiatric Disability

In our experience, mental health disabilities tend to be some the most disabling conditions an individual can suffer from, which often prevent them from even being able to do sedentary work.

Mental disabilities including depression, Anxiety, bipolar disorder and schizophrenia are complex cases that can be further complicated because they often co-exist with PTSD or TBI.

Many Veterans suffer from Psychiatric/Mental Health issues. If they are service connected you may wish to have them Objectively Assessed by a Vocational Expert for your Veterans Disability or TDIU Claim.

In general, in order to get VA benefits for a psychiatric disabilities such as depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder or schizophrenia, you need to establish the main elements of service-connection between your psychiatric disability and your time in the military.

First, you need to get a current OBJECTIV diagnosis of a mental disability. You must be diagnosed with a mental illness other than a personality disorder. The VA will not grant disability benefits for a personality disorder because they are considered to be a condition you are born with and thus not caused by your time in the military. Second, you need evidence of an in-service occurrence or aggravation of a disease, injury or precipitating event. Third, you must establish a link between the in-service event and the current mental disability.

A mental disability does not have to be your primary disability type in order to get VA benefits. For instance, if you are service-connected for a knee condition and a low back condition that produces such severe chronic pain as to cause depression, then you can get service-connection for the depression secondary

Many Doctors and Psychologist will give you a mental health diagnosis in their notes but do no OBJECTIVE tests or Measures, and therefore your left with Subjective information that the VA and Judge can give little to no weight too.

YOU NEED OBJECTIVE Evidence and we at SouthEast Vocational Experts provide Objective Testing and Assessments.

Florida Vocational Expert Disability Evaluation

– Divorce, Veteran, Disability, LTD, SSA/SSI –

SouthEast Vocational Experts: Leaders in Forensic Mental Health & Vocational Evaluations.

Disability Evaluation process and procedures differ depending on the Venue as well as the issued involved in the case. We specialize in Psychological Disability Evaluations.

this will cover the major aspects – each case is different and therefore will have different needs, we do not have a one size fits all assessment process.

Disability Evaluation – Forensic VOCATIONAL EVALUATION PROCESS

1) Document Review – General list:

Hospital, Physician, Psychiatrist, Psychologist, & Counselor records, 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 disabled individual or their Representative responsibility to get completed and returned to us.

4) Vocational & Forensic Mental Health Evaluation (Psychometric Assessments) (most cases will require one or more tests)

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 (ADHD), Memory, Cognitive Abilities, IQ, Mental Health / Psychiatric Measures (Depression, Bi-Polar, Acute Anxiety, GAD, PTSD, Schizophrenia, etc.)

5) Perform a Vocational Diagnostic Assessment of Residual Employability.

this includes a Transferable Skills Analysis

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.

Florida Vocational Expert

FACTS – Military Sexual Trauma – MST – PTSD

HOW DOES VA DEFINE MST?
MST is defined by Title 38 U.S. Code 1720D as “psychological trauma resulting from a physical assault of a sexual nature, battery of a sexual nature, or sexual harassment which occurred while the Veteran was serving on active duty, active duty for training, or inactive duty training.” Sexual harassment is defined as “repeated, unsolicited verbal or physical contact of a sexual nature which is threatening in character.”

Overview

Female deep in thought.

Veterans Disability – Case Law

Case Law

VA is not requried to obtain a Vocational Expert Testimony or Industiral Survey to Deny Total Disability Individual Unemployement (TDIU) to deny a Veteran Individual Unemployment. But they must use the Vocational Experts findings in thier opinion!

This is a major difference between VA Adjudication and Social Security ODAR Adjudication. Social Security has to use a Vocational Expert at Step 4 and Step 5.

Smith v. Shinseki, 2010 U.S. App. Vet. Claims LEXIS 1470 (U.S. App. Vet. Cl., Aug. 11, 2010)
OVERVIEW: The veteran had a combined service-connected disability rating of 80 percent. Although the Board found that his 80 percent combined rating (with at least one disability rated at 40 percent) met the threshold requirements for a TDIU claim, it denied his claim after taking into account his work history, his educational background, and reports from VA medical examiners. While the medical examiners did not suggest that he could perform his previous employment as a laborer in the coal mines or a carpenter, they concluded that he was not prevented from performing light or sedentary jobs. The court rejected the veteran’s argument that VA was required to obtain an industrial survey from a vocational expert to evaluate his claim. Given that a TDIU determination under § 4.16 did not require any analysis of the actual opportunities available in the job market, the court declined to conclude that an industrial survey was “necessary” for that purpose in connection with TDIU claims. Because job market information was not required, the duty to assist under 38 U.S.C.S. § 5103A did not require the VA to provide such information through an industrial survey.

This is why you need a ∞ TDIU Vocational Evaluation performed by a Vocational Expert so that the court will have the inforation assessed for them, unlike Social Security which has to use Vocational Experts,

The VA doesnt, BUT must apply the Vocational Experts opinion to the VA’s Decision.

The Court was left scratching its head as to what jobs this disabled veteran could obtain and work since VA did not address that:In a later case in July 2014 the Appeals Court for Veterans Claims reasoned in McClain v. Gibson that VA must provide a detailed explanation when it decides that a severely disabled veteran is ’employable’ as opposed to unemployable.

Evan McLain, Appellant, v. Sloan D. Gibson, Acting Secretary of Veterans Affairs, Appellee.
No. 13-2264
UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS FOR VETERANS CLAIMS

2014 U.S. App. Vet. Claims LEXIS 1235 July 17, 2014, Decided

“McClain [Veteran] argues that the Board provided an inadequate statement of reasons or bases for its denial of TDIU. To show entitlement to TDIU, the evidence must demonstrate an inability to undertake substantially gainful employment as a result of a service-connected disability or disabilities. 38 C.F.R. § 4.16(a) (2014) (TDIU is awarded when a disabled person is”unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation as a result of service-connected disabilities”). The Board “may not reject [a claim for TDIU] without producing evidence, as distinguished from mere conjecture, that the veteran can perform work that would produce sufficient income to be other than marginal.”Beaty v. Brown, 6 Vet.App. 532, 537 (1994). Although the Board need not find that [*2] a particular job exists in the economy, Smith v.Shinseki, 647 F.3d 1380, 1385 (Fed. Cir. 2011), the Board’s statement regarding employability must do more than “merely allude to educational and occupational history, attempt in no way to relate these factors to the disabilities of the appellant, and conclude that some form of employment is available.” Gleicher v. Derwinski, 2 Vet. App. 26, 28 (1991). Moreover, the Board’s explanation for its determination must be understandable to the claimant and facilitate judicial review. Allday v. Brown, 7 Vet.App. 517, 527 (1995) (Board’s statement “must be adequate to enable a claimant to understand the precise basis for the Board’s decision, as well as to facilitate review in this Court”).

Mr. McLain argues that the Board inadequately explained its TDIU determination because it did not address how difficult it would be for him to find employment given the limitations noted by medical examiners. The May 2010 and January 2012 examinations relied on by the Board found that Mr. McLain’s disabilities did not preclude him from employment in a loosely supervised setting, with minimal social interaction, where there was little background noise or phone [*3] communication, and where alarms and exact communication would not be needed. Record (R.) at 36, 48-49. Although the Board relied on these examiners’ ultimate conclusions that Mr. McLain could be employed in some kinds of jobs, the Board did not address the limitations noted by the examiners, nor did it attempt to relate these limitations to Mr. McLain’s educational and occupational history or explain what kinds of jobs Mr. McLain could obtain. See Beaty andGleicher, both supra. The Board’s failure to do so renders its statement of reasons or bases inadequate and warrants remand.¹Allday,supra; see also Tucker v. West, 11 Vet.App. 369, 374 (1998) (remand is appropriate where the Board has, inter alia, failed to provide an adequate statement of reasons or bases).”

NOTE: McClain is an unpublished opinion and not to be cited as precedent. However I believe its teachings and principles are important to grasp in the area of TDIU claims.

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.

Veterans Disability Issues

lf Veterans of the first Gulf War are defined by the Department of Veterans Affairs as men and women who served in Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Kuwait and other countries in the Persian Gulf. Approximately 697,000 troops were deployed to the region in the years 1990-1991.

Gulf War vets have many of the same issues and disabilities as veterans of other wars. But They frequently experience problems that are unique to military personnel who fought in the region. Many believe it was due to some type of toxin exposure.

In particular, Gulf War vets are affected by a medically unexplained illness popularly called Gulf War Syndrome. Symptoms of Gulf War Syndrome can include fatigue, headaches, joint pain, indigestion, insomnia, dizziness, respiratory disorders, and memory problems.

Despite the frequent use of the phrase Gulf War Syndrome in civilian media, the VA prefers not to use that term and uses phrases such as “undiagnosed illness” and medically unexplained chronic multisymptom illnesses.” Because the symptoms of the illness vary enormously from vet to vet, the condition does not fit the formal definition of the term “syndrome,” according to the VA.

Presumptive Gulf War Conditions

The VA presumes that certain chronic illnesses that persist for more than six months in this cohort of veterans are related to service in the Gulf region. They include:

• Chronic fatigue syndrome

• Fibromyalgia

• Gastrointestinal disorders

• Undiagnosed illness that includes symptoms such as abnormal weight loss, fatigue, cardiovascular disease, muscle and joint pain, headache, menstrual disorders, neurological and psychological problems, skin conditions, respiratory disorders and sleep disturbances, popularly called Gulf War Syndrome

• Infectious diseases that include malaria, brucellosis, campylobacter jejuni, Q fever, mycobacterium tuberculosis, non-typhoid salmonella, shigella, visceral leishmaniasis, and West Nile virus

• Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS)

The VA continues to conduct research into these and other conditions associated with service in the Gulf War during 1990-1991. Of particular interest is the source of so-called Gulf War Syndrome, and numerous causes have been suggested.

Possible Causes of Gulf War Syndrome

Possible causes of this medically elusive illness include:

• Vaccinations, especially vaccinations for anthrax and botulism

• Oil well fires, petroleum and smoke

• Pesticides

• Pyriostigmine bromide, used as a re-treatment against militarized nerve agents

• Biological and chemical weapons

• Sand, dust and particles

• Depleted uranium

• Toxic embedded fragments (shrapnel)

• Noise

•Occupational hazards, such as chemicals, paint and machinery

•Heat

If you have a service connected disability and are unemployed and believe that your disability is the cause you should consider a TDIU Vocational Evaluation.

When a Veterans Representatives & Attorneys need an objective Vocational Assessment of a claimant’s Past Relevant Work, & Current Vocational Capabilities, they turn to us for Answers.

We have been providing Forensic Vocational Expert Services and Occupational assessments for over 17 years. We have also served as an unbiased expert for the U.S. Federal Government in more than 500 cases. We have performed over 3,000 assessments and have a specializations in brain injury (TBI), and Mental Health/Psychological issues.

Forensic Vocational Expert

Veterans Having a Hard time Finding Employment

Never Drop your Standards. Many Armed Forces at the time of leaving thier post, have tend to have the highest standards of thier life! Many times upon leaving they tend to let old habits creep in and before they are aware of it, thier daily routine to maintain physical stability is lost. Returning to civilian life after years of active military service should be a joyous occasion for veterans. However, many returning soldiers have a difficult time adjusting to life outside the armed forces, which may contribute to veteran unemployment rates well above the national average.

VETS STRUGGLING TO FIND JOBS

Veterans who served after the September 11 attacks have an unemployment rate of about 10%, compared to the national average of 7.3%. While this is down from a peak veteran unemployment rate of 13.1% in December of 2011, this still means that 246,000 veterans who have served in the past 13 years are without work.

Female veterans have had consistently higher rates of unemployment than male veterans. This may partially be due to the fact that many female veterans are mothers who choose to stay outside of the workforce and focus on child rearing after their deployments. However, people who study employment statistics have also pointed to fewer available services for female vets, and a tendency to not self-identify as a veteran, which may affect their participation in preferential hiring efforts.

VETERAN HIRING INCENTIVES DO WORK TO CHANGE THE TREND

The federal government has stepped up efforts to increase veteran hiring, and has created incentives for employers who give preference to veterans. These incentives include reimbursement for veterans’ salaries and training, as well as tax credits for employers who hire veterans.

Additionally, the government has created a website (https://www.ebenefits.va.gov/ebenefits/jobs) to specifically assist veterans in finding employment, job training, or resources to continue their education. The website also offers a feature where veterans can enter their branch of service, military pay grade, and military occupation code in order to see what career areas may be a fit for their particular skills.

Many veterans who are willing to work are simply unable to do so on account of service-related injuries or disabilities. For these veterans, applying for disability benefits may provide the extra income needed to support themselves and their families.

TDIU – DIAGNOSING PTSD

PTSD is a result of a person experiencing a traumatic event. Any number of situations can trigger PTSD for service members, as they are routinely exposed to stressful and traumatic occurrences.

Some of the Common Symptoms of PTSD may include:

Panic Attacks
Generalized Anxiety
Reliving the event, or flashbacks
Feelings of detachment, emotional numbness or depression
Avoiding situations that are reminiscent of the traumatic event
Not talking about the traumatic event
Living in a constant state of alertness or readiness for danger
Loss of interest in normal daily activities

Veterans experiencing these symptoms should contact a health care professional to determine whether they are suffering from PTSD.

There are many combat Veterans who have developed post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) as a result of military service are eligible to receive disability compensation for their condition. PTSD is a serious disorder that requires ongoing treatment which may not be possible if the veteran is not awarded an adequate amount from the VA.

The VA, Veterans Disability and what is needed to get a PTSD Disability Rating:

In the past, the VA has maintained strict requirements for claiming PTSD disability but in recent years these have become less stringent. Since 2010, veterans are no longer required to prove that the PTSD-triggering event actually occurred. This applies to combat veterans and any veteran who experienced fear of hostile terrorist activity.

The way to create A DIRECT SERVICE CONNECTION FOR PTSD, VETERANS MUST HAVE:

A current PTSD diagnosis
A statement about the event that caused their trauma
Consistency between the veteran’s statement and the conditions of their service
A medical opinion that the stressor had a sufficient enough impact on them to cause PTSD