How to Establish Functional Limitations with a Veterans’ Benefits Claim

Many veterans struggle with daily activities, including bathing and cooking, while even more veterans have difficulty handling finances or housekeeping. To receive disability benefits, a veteran must do more than prove they have a physical impairment. They also need to show how their condition negatively impacts their life. Contact Empowerment Legal, PLLC, for assistance developing a claim. Our clients need meaningful evidence to support their assertion that they are struggling with functional limitations, and we can help.

Limitations with Daily Living

At Empowerment Legal, we help veterans establish functional limitations with respect to:

• Activities of Daily Living (ADLs), including bathing, dressing, eating, and using the toilet.
• Instrumental Activities of Daily Living (IADLs), which can include higher-level cognitive tasks, such as cooking, housekeeping, and handling finances.

Whether you are seeking to prove a disability related to ADLs or IADLs, you need acceptable proof. That requires comprehensive claim development.

According to one study, about 5.2% of veterans have functional limitations that affect ADLs. Meanwhile, 14.2% have functional limitations which impact IADLs.

Our veteran community often needs help with daily activities. You might need an at-home attendant to help with certain tasks, such as cleaning the house or cooking because you cannot do these tasks yourself. These limitations form the basis of many disability claims for VA benefits.

An important step is gathering sufficient, high-quality evidence so that you submit a strong claim. Medical evidence is the foundation of a disability claim and usually takes the form of treatment records, doctor’s evaluations, and any imaging tests (such as x-rays). The records should establish more than the diagnosis; ideally, they should explain how your illness or disability results in specific limitations (for example, an inability to sit upright for more than 10 minutes).

Other evidence involved in claim development includes lay statements from family and friends or even co-workers. The people who see you daily can offer a unique perspective on your functional limitations, even if they do not understand all the details of your medical diagnosis. Obtaining effective lay statements is a necessary part of most claims. Some family members or friends might lack confidence that their testimony could make the difference for your claim, so they might hesitate to write a letter. Let our office help.

Other evidence includes exams scheduled by the VA to evaluate you. Sometimes vocational evidence is important if it shows you cannot maintain gainful employment.

The objective of a claim is to tie any disability to ratings criteria used by the VA when evaluating whether you qualify for benefits. That requires the skilled assistance of an experienced lawyer.

Contact Empower Legal Today!

A Jacksonville other claim development lawyer in our office can immediately begin work on your case. We believe the veteran community in Jacksonville is best served by those who understand their daily challenges. Call us today. Attorney Sidonie Parr is a disabled veteran herself, and she brings a wealth of knowledge to every case she accepts. Reach out to our office today to schedule your consultation!

Source:

psychiatrist.com/pcc/functional-disability-in-us-military-veterans-importance-of-integrated-whole-health-initiatives/