The Value of Vocational Assessments for Rehabilitation Counselors
What if you could improve the success of a client or employee? Would you use a tool to mitigate the risk factors of hiring unfit workers? Can you assess an individual’s ability in various meaningful and relevant categories? These are the characteristics of a vocational assessment.
Vocational testing means achieving the best possible outcomes for clients and employees. It is a vital step in assisting rehabilitation counselors to set goals for their clients. These vocational assessments provide unmatched insight when it comes to employability.
Read on to discover the need for vocational assessments and what they mean for employers.
Role of the Rehabilitation Counselor
A rehabilitation counselor assists individuals who suffer from mental, emotional, or physical disabilities. Connecting workers with opportunities that match their abilities is their goal.
A vocational assessment is a tool that measures an individual’s employability. The assessment will generally test someone in areas that include:
Interests
Abilities
Medical information
Psychosocial factors
Education
Prior experience
A vocational assessment evaluation shows particular attributes of an applicant. Results convey far more than a resume or traditional interview. Rehabilitation counselors should use this information to suggest appropriate employment opportunities. They may also make suggestions for training and development.
Employers and workers alike stand to gain from a meaningful vocational assessment. A diagnostic test guarantees that workers will find roles where their success is more likely. This means the likelihood of continued employment.
Employers assume less risk knowing that the individual is fit for the job. They can have confidence that the worker will perform the tasks of their position.
Rehabilitation counselors strive to make the best decisions for their clients. The decision-making process improves with the help of a vocational legal expert.
What This Means in the Workplace
A vocational assessment can determine if individuals are fit to return to work. In a case of personal injury, assessments screen for physical abilities and limitations. After a long-term disability employees can also undergo a vocational assessment. This will aid in guiding their return.
Individuals with special needs are often placed in particular work environments based on the results of a vocational assessment. An ADA accommodations specialist can analyze results to help ensure a business is equipping its employees with the proper ADA accommodations and services.
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Contact the Vocational Consultants at Solutions Northwest Inc. Below:
Multiple Locations
Corporate Office: 120 State Ave. NE #397 Olympia, WA 98501 Business Hours: 8am-5pm M-F Corporate FAX: 360-866-4773 Email:Info@solutionsnw.com
Has your company been hit with a personal injury case? The average payout to settle those types of cases is $52,900.
Did you know that you can lower your exposure to high settlements through a personal injury vocational evaluation? Vocational testing comes with many benefits. The main one is the ability to find out what your employee’s personal injury earning capacity is. Next, we’ll explore some of the benefits of this type of professional evaluation.
A major part of any personal injury claim involves determining post-earning capacity. These steps happen before a court case begins. This information is critical for determining the size of monetary judgments or settlements.
The information gathered by a vocational injury evaluator is allowed in court. Is your company trying to assess the earnings capacity of an employee?
Without the help of an evaluator, the information you gather may not be credible in court.
A vocational evaluator undergoes specialized training. The training allows him or her to assess the plaintiff’s ability to resume work.
A vocational expert may have a degree in vocational rehabilitation. Or they may have studied psychology, counseling, or vocational evaluation.
Beyond college-level training, some vocational evaluators go on to earn certifications. These might include Certified Vocational Evaluation Specialist (CVE) or Certified Rehabilitation Counselor (CRC). Some vocational experts also testify as a vocational expert witness.
The vocational evaluations often determine what suitable jobs or career paths are suitable for the worker. In some cases, the worker may not be able to return to work at all or can only do so when special accommodations are made.
What Happens During a Personal Injury Vocational Evaluation?
Every personal injury vocational evaluation is unique. In general, the process involves an initial interview with the injured party. Then there is an interview with the physician who treated the injured individual.
During the clinical interview, the vocational evaluator gathers biographical information. This can include work and medical history and other data.
The evaluator may also collect information on the injured party’s vocational goals. Or info on current physical limitations.
If the injured individual is the defendant, the vocational evaluator may have to rely on court documents. Or the evaluator may read interviews conducted by an expert who works for the plaintiff.
The evaluator conducts vocational analysis. They may include what’s known as a transferable skills analysis. The evaluator may conduct a market survey. The final step involves the creation of an evaluation report that can be used in court.
Protect Your Business from Personal Injury Lawsuits
Our practitioners at Solutions Northwest, Inc. understand injury prevention and intervention principles. To schedule your meeting, contact us today to see how our company can be of help to you.
Subscribe to our blog for more work related tips from Solutions Northwest, Inc., experts available in: Seattle, WA, Tacoma, WA, Olympia, WA, Vancouver, WA, Kent, WA Renton, WA, Beaverton, WA
Contact the Vocational Consultants at Solutions Northwest Inc. Below:
Multiple Locations
Corporate Office: 120 State Ave. NE #397 Olympia, WA 98501 Business Hours: 8am-5pm M-F Corporate FAX: 360-866-4773 Email:Info@solutionsnw.com
Are you an attorney, risk manager, or HR professional who is looking for a vocational evaluation? The expert team at Solutions Northwest, Inc. can provide you with a vocational assessment for a range of situations. In this article, we will explain what goes into the vocational evaluation process.
During the evaluation, a vocational expert will determine a plaintiff’s ability to work. Following injury, a worker who is seeking workers’ compensation benefits may need to prove that he or she is unable to work.
Divorce proceedings may need one or both spouses to determine their ability to work following the divorce. The results of vocational testing during divorce proceedings could determine alimony.
A vocational evaluation could also determine the earning potential of a spouse. This could be important when the spouse has been a stay-at-home parent for several or more years.
Medical experts or professional evaluators are often used as vocational expert witnesses. They determine whether an injury has impaired or disabled an individual. Both terms have distinct definitions.
What to Expect During the Evaluation Process
Vocational assessments vary by situation and state. The evaluator may conduct a file review and interview. The educational level (high school, college, graduate school) is also important to look at. Past work experience and medical records are all factors that are weighed during an evaluation.
If the evaluation is being performed to determine disability, the evaluator may test many factors that include:
Gross and fine motor skills
Reading ability
Reasoning abilities
Language skills
Arithmetic skills
In some cases, a standardized test may be given. Based on the evaluation, the professional evaluator issues a report that can be used during court proceedings.
Our vocational rehabilitation experts have graduate degree training. We also have many years of testimony experience.
Are you preparing an important case? Our professional evaluators will be able to explain the details of your case to jurors. Our experts will give testimony in a manner that is easy to understand.
We base testimony on data and facts, not opinion. Our senior partner has a master-level education in Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) accommodation issues. He also is an expert in workers’ compensation and disability management.
Our experts hold graduate degrees. They have many years of experience providing vocational evaluations and testifying in court.
Whether you are looking for consulting services for ergonomic services or ADA accommodations, our experienced evaluators are trained to help your workers stay at work. To learn more about how we can serve your legal or HR needs, please contact Solutions Northwest, Inc. online today.
Subscribe to our blog for more work related tips from Solutions Northwest, Inc., experts available in: Seattle, WA, Tacoma, WA, Olympia, WA, Vancouver, WA, Kent, WA Renton, WA, Beaverton, WA.
Contact the Vocational Consultants at Solutions Northwest Inc. Below:
Multiple Locations
Corporate Office: 120 State Ave. NE #397 Olympia, WA 98501 Business Hours: 8am-5pm M-F Corporate FAX: 360-866-4773 Email:Info@solutionsnw.com
A vocational evaluation has use beyond determining suitable career paths. As a professional or specifically as a personal injury lawyer, the goal is to ensure that your client gets proper compensation for their injuries. It seems simple enough, but it can be difficult to do. Not only that, there are often outside forces working to devalue your client’s case.
That’s where a vocational expert can come in handy. Keep reading to learn how obtaining a vocational evaluation can help the outcome of your client’s personal injury case.
In the most general sense, a vocational evaluation is a thorough assessment. Its purpose is to pinpoint the most viable career paths or employment opportunities for an individual. You’ve likely taken such an assessment in high school or college.
These types of evaluations take on a much different purpose in personal injury law.
A qualified vocational expert may be hired to provide an evaluation of an injured plaintiff’s claim. They determine how much financial compensation the plaintiff should receive. Vocational experts analyze factors such as long-term medical care costs and lost present and future earning capacity in their evaluations.
It may be difficult for you to determine the total value of your client’s case. There are many factors that are out of your control.
For example, an individual’s injuries could turn out worse than first thought. As a result, they have to pay more medical costs than anticipated. Such an instance can change the value of your client’s claim.
A plaintiff can even devalue their own claim.
Let’s face it, personal injury clients won’t always tell the truth. For example, they may withhold information about their past medical history. Or, the client may have an unrelated prior injury that they are unaware affects their current injury claim.
More often, insurance companies downplay the plaintiff’s injuries or try to use a plaintiff’s prior medical history to justify devaluing their claim. Insurance is a business and it’s in the best interest of insurance companies to pay out as little money as possible. All three instances can result in the devaluation of your client’s claim.
This is another situation in which retaining a vocational expert can be of help. They’ll be able to analyze your client’s past medical history so that you as a lawyer can avoid surprises. Additionally, they’ll be able to see through insurance companies’ tactics to get proper compensation for your client.
You can’t always prepare for the unexpected. Yet, you can ensure that your client gets proper compensation for their claim by hiring a vocational expert.
Here at Solutions Northwest, Inc., we offer comprehensive vocational evaluation options that determine the value of a personal injury claim. We service cities throughout the Washington and Oregon states. Visit our personal injury vocational consulting services page to see how our company can be of help to you and your client.
Please feel free to utilize our contact form here for more information.
Subscribe to our blog for more work related tips from Solutions Northwest, Inc., experts available in: Seattle, WA, Tacoma, WA, Olympia, WA, Vancouver, WA, Kent, WA Renton, WA, Beaverton, WA
Contact the Vocational Consultants at Solutions Northwest Inc. Below:
Multiple Locations
Corporate Office: 120 State Ave. NE #397 Olympia, WA 98501 Business Hours: 8am-5pm M-F Corporate FAX: 360-866-4773 Email:Info@solutionsnw.com
Medical costs in the United States are notoriously high with an average visit to the ER costing about $2,200.00with insurance. Add a sudden, severe injury on top of that. A personal injury victim could be looking at a tough financial mountain to climb.
Apart from the physical and financial stress, this type of sudden uncertainty can lead to unnecessary amounts of emotional stress as well. The change in income that results from a personal injury can be significant. Legal help and expert testimony can make all the difference for an individual dealing with this type of scenario.
In this vocational blog article, we’ll discuss what personal injury earning capacity is for an individual and how it relates to earning potential in general.
Earning Potential vs. Income
Loss of income differs slightly from loss of earning capacity. Loss of income is essentially the exact amount of income lost as a result of time taken off from work due to an injury. In the case of a personal injury victim, recovering compensation for lost wages is possible.
Loss of earning capacity, or loss of earning potential, is slightly different. Lost earning capacity is when a personal injury victim’s ability to earn income has been reduced or taken away entirely. To determine the overall impact this loss has on an individual can be difficult.
Impact
Take for example a delivery driver who delivers heavy boxes of groceries for work. When they are suddenly out of work due to an ankle injury because of an upturned crack in the sidewalk, the financial impact from the worker’s loss of income may correlate to days taken from sick leave or paid time off.
However, maybe that same delivery driver is out of work because a drunk driver hit their car. Now the driver has to have surgery. The loss of earning capacity is more difficult to pinpoint in this case. This is because the injury is more extensive and the future time spent in that job is not as certain.
Proving loss of earning capacity in this scenario would need to include testimony from expert witnesses, current wages, work-related experience, and more.
Items of Note
If someone happens to be a victim of an injury, proving a future amount of earned money could include anything from future raises or responsibilities, expected working years left, or potential promotions.
These various factors will help determine future compensation with respect to loss of earning capacity.
These all encompass the economic hardships that an individual can expect to suffer through the tenure of their working life. By taking into account all necessary factors to the case at hand, an individual’s personal injury rights are taken care of under the Tort Law umbrella.
Every Business Should Retain Vocational Experts
If your business or someone you know could benefit from help with issues surrounding personal injury in the workplace, our Vocational Consultants at Solutions Northwest Inc. are available Monday through Friday to offer help. We offer comprehensive personal injury assessments to determine an individual’s ability to work and their future earning potential.
Please feel free to utilize our contact form here for more information.
Subscribe to our blog for more work related tips from Solutions Northwest, Inc., experts available in: Seattle, WA, Tacoma, WA, Olympia, WA, Vancouver, WA, Kent, WA Renton, WA, Beaverton, WA.
Contact the Vocational Consultants at Solutions Northwest Inc. Below:
Multiple Locations
Corporate Office: 120 State Ave. NE #397 Olympia, WA 98501 Business Hours: 8am-5pm M-F Corporate FAX: 360-866-4773 Email:Info@solutionsnw.com
It’s easy to get complacent when you spend most of your day sitting at a desk,
but that doesn’t mean you can’t get injured even in the safety of your cubicle.
Many office injuries are preventable. Keep reading to learn what the most
common office-related injuries are and how to avoid them.
Slipping and falling is a very common workplace injury.
Falling is the most commonly reported injury that happens in
the office. There are many factors involved in this.
If the janitorial staff has recently mopped or buffed a
floor, it can be easy to slip on them if you don’t look out for the caution
signs.
Loose carpet and electrical cords should be properly secured
down and organized to prevent people from tripping over them. Lighting that
isn’t adequate also makes it difficult to spot these obstacles.
Repetitive injuries are common without proper ergonomics.
A lot of injuries are suffered because of actions which are
repeated throughout the day. A common injury is carpal
tunnel syndrome. This can be aggravated by not practicing proper ergonomic
habits and manifests in numbness and pain in the wrist and hand.
Proper posture
and regular breaks
should also be practiced. If you find yourself leaning forward a lot in your
chair, try to remind yourself to use the backrest. You should also stand, stretch,
and move around for at least 10 minutes every hour.
Unfortunately, workplace violence is a real occurrence.
It’s unfortunate but occasionally people let their anger get
the best of them and take things too far in the workplace. A well-trained HR
department and proper management of chaotic situations are key in preventing
these incidents.
Setting up training for your employees to know what to do in
case the unthinkable occurs is also very important to ensure that people don’t
get seriously hurt.
Digital eye strain is real.
You’re looking at a screen right now. It might be a computer
screen or your phone screen but regardless, it can put too much strain on your
eyes and cause lasting damage.
Learn to use safety features that come with most monitors
and phones that reduce the harmful light that comes from a screen. You should
also stay away from staring at screens during your breaks from working at your
desk.
Fire safety should never be ignored.
Office accidents happen no matter how much planning you do.
If a fire breaks out your office should be equipped to handle it.
Fire extinguishers in the appropriate places and exits that
are clear of obstacles and properly marked are very important in making sure
that employees can evacuate safely and in a timely fashion.
In conclusion, stay safe in the workplace by being
proactive.
The good news is that many common office injuries are
preventable. Adopting a few good habits, proper training, and performing an ergonomics assessment is a great way to
prevent future injury in the office.
Visit SolutionsNW.com
to learn more about the importance of workplace ergonomics or Contact Us to schedule an
ergonomics consultation.
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ergonomics tips from Solutions Northwest Inc., ergonomics consultants located
in: Seattle, WA, Tacoma, WA, Olympia, WA, Vancouver, WA, Kent, WA Renton, WA,
Beaverton, OR, Portland, OR, Salem, OR, San Diego, CA, Carlsbad, CA, La Jolla,
CA, Irvine, CA, Costa Mesa, CA, Newport Beach, CA.
