How Will My Residual Functional Capacity Be Evaluate In a Workers’ Compensation Claim?

Posted by Kristen White
8
Jan 8, 2021
401 Views
If you have been injured in a work-related event, you will seek compensation benefits to cater for your medical expenses, wages lost or even disability benefits. Before your claim for disability benefits is approved, the agency must prove that the disability in question prevents you from working. Thus, they consider a residual functional capacity testing more accurate to determine your ability and which tasks you may perform.

 Understanding Residual Functional Capacity Evaluation (RFC)

 Residual functional capacity assessment is used to determine the extent of limitation derived from injuries or illness suffered and what work one can perform even with the disability suffered. The report from the evaluation indicates whether one is eligible for disability benefits. The process is challenging and may require one to be represented by a lawyer. If you were involved in an accident at your workplace, one favor you can do to yourself is to go looking for personal injury attorney accidents who can take over you case as you take time to recover. RFC evaluation is vital since not everyone may suffer from an impairment listed in the Social Security Administration (SSA). Thus, it’s better to have a residual functional capacity assessment conducted. Two types of RFC may be conducted for the disability benefits. They include:

  • RFC for physical impairment:  If you claim to have a physical impairment that restricts you in any work setting, an RFC may be conducted to determine what you can do despite your restrictions. For instance, you may have suffered from cardiovascular conditions or spine injuries. If you have any physical disability, the assessment will ascertain what you can lift, how much you can work etc. In other words, it will show the degree to which you can perform light or heavy jobs.
  • RFC for mental impairment:  If SSA finds that your medical condition is severe, they will request for an RFC. Examples of mental disorder that may restrict you to gainful employment may include depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety disorder, panic attacks, among others. An RFC for you mental impairment must be conducted to assess whether they are affecting your ability to gainful employment. The details to be considered may include details such as:
  • Your ability to remember
  • Your attention to details
  • Whether you are distracting others at work
  • How you cope with stress

 Your medical records will be used to come up with a residual functional capacity. Again, the strength of your Social Security disability claim will be determined by the evidence given in your medical records.

If it's determined that you can no longer work on your former job, nor can you make to work on any other job, your claim will be approved. Those who consider looking for personal injury attorney accident right after a work-related accident have an easier time when seeking disability benefits.

 Getting Disability Benefits

 You don’t have to pay the medical expense out of pocket after suffering from a work-related event. You can apply for disability benefits that will ease the financial hardship you may be going through now and in the future due to the disability. To get the benefits, you must have met the criteria since such is not easy to obtain. Suppose you are unable to perform any work due to your physical or mental impairment. In that case, you can contact Alaska law firm that has extensive experience in handling workers compensation disability benefits.

A good lawyer will guide you to get the right information needed for your physical or mental impairment to have your claim approved. The process of seeking disability benefits is not a straightforward one. However, if you chose to contact Alaska law firm, they can handle the process faster and efficiently.

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