Many claimants ask why the insurance company uses a vocational consultant when reviewing a claim. Isn’t the main issue whether you have a medical disability and you’re medically disabled under the policy? This is a very legitimate question. In this article, we discuss why a vocational assessment from a vocational consultant is a significant part of your long-term disability claim.
What Is a Vocational Assessment?
Your case goes beyond just the medical evidence in your case. That’s just one of the pieces of the puzzle. In any given LTD case, you may have one or any combination of the following: (a) medical records, (b) medical opinion evidence by your doctors (such as letters to support your claim or Residual Functional Capacity forms), and (c) perhaps a vocational assessment incorporating limitations identified in those things.
Medical evidence, such as X-rays, MRIs, CT scans, and other objective medical tests, may prove that you are diagnosed with and suffering from a specific condition. But the real question is: how do those findings result in limitations and impairments? You might ask your doctor to write down how they think you’re limited or impaired because of those medical conditions, such as difficulty in sitting, standing, walking, bending, stooping, crouching, crawling, and other physical limitations.
The vocational expert reviews all medical records and doctor forms and assesses whether you can do certain jobs given your restrictions. A CT scan or MRI will not necessarily identify your difficulty in standing and walking. You need the doctor to bridge the gap from diagnosis to limitations, and then you need to have the vocational expert interpret how those limitations would impact your ability to perform work activities.
Thus, a vocational assessment can significantly impact the outcome of any given LTD case. You may even retain a vocational expert during the appeal process to provide an opinion on whether you could perform work activities with your restrictions.
Legal Representation For Long-Term Disability Insurance Appeals and Lawsuits
Because the interplay between medical evidence, opinion evidence, and vocational opinions can be so complex, we encourage you to contact an experienced attorney to review your LTD claim. Since 2005, Nick Ortiz has dedicated his practice to helping those who have been denied long-term disability recover the benefits they deserve. Although based in Florida, the Ortiz Law Firm represents claimants across the United States.
If your LTD claim has been wrongfully denied or terminated, and you’d like to speak to an experienced long-term disability insurance attorney, contact us at (888) 321-8131 to schedule a consultation. We can help you evaluate your claim to determine if you can access long-term disability benefits and how to proceed.
