Long Term Disability Carrier’s Use of Vocational Experts in Claims Denials
I am sure that you have never heard of a vocational evaluator. Unfortunately every Long Term Disability applicant is going to get an education about vocational evaluations and their impact on your Long Term Disability claim.
A vocational evaluator will try to determine your residual functional capacity by reviewing your medical records. Your residual functional capacity is a disabled persons remaining physical and mental work potential even in spite of their disabling condition.
It is very important that your doctor accurately fill out a residual functional capacity scale so there is no question in the vocational evaluators mind about your restrictions and limitations. The vocational rehabilitation counselor will also try to determine what skills and abilities you have learned in the course of your work life that might be transferable to another job.
Long Term Disability carriers have vocational evaluators on staff who will evaluate your claim for the purposes of opinioning that you are capable of performing some form of employment. Why? Most Long Term Disability policies provide that if you can return to your former job or your own occupation, you are not disabled.
Vocational evaluators are also used in any occupation stage as the Long Term Disability carriers do not want to pay benefits to the policy period.
The vocational evaluator will be asked to determine whether there are jobs that exist in the national economy that you are capable of doing based on your residual functional capacities and the skills that you have learned.
If you are being scheduled for a vocational evaluation or are being offered vocational rehabilitation services, immediately contact Long Term Disability denied attorney, Nancy Cavey, for assistance. Mrs. Cavey represents Long Term Disability applicants and those who have been denied Long Term Disability benefits throughout the South Eastern United States, including Florida, Georgia and Alabama.