You filed for Total Disability based on Individual Unemployability (TDIU) and the VA scheduled a vocational exam. You’re not sure what to expect. What will they ask? What if you say the wrong thing? What if this evaluation becomes the reason the VA denies your claim? These concerns are valid, but preparation can make all the difference.
At the Law Office of Sean Kendall, our experienced Veterans benefits attorneys help clients nationwide prepare for these exams successfully. Here’s how to approach your individual unemployability evaluation with confidence. Contact our skilled legal team to learn more about how we help you protect your right to the benefits you’ve earned.
What’s a TDIU Vocational Opinion?
This assessment examines whether your service-connected disabilities prevent you from maintaining substantially gainful employment. The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) uses this evaluation to determine if you qualify for compensation at the 100 percent disability rate, even if your combined disability rating falls below this threshold.
This assessment carries considerable weight in TDIU decisions. The vocational expert reviews your work history, education, transferable skills, and current financial limitations. Their findings directly influence whether the VA grants or denies your claim for individual unemployability benefits.
Your participation matters. This isn’t simply a medical exam where measurements and test results tell the whole story. The vocational expert needs accurate information about how your disability impacts your daily functioning and work capacity. Incomplete or unclear answers can lead to assessments that don’t truly reflect your limitations.
How Can You Prepare for a TDIU Vocational Assessment?
Gather evidence that supports your claim for unemployability, including recent medical records, treatment notes, and letters from your health care providers explaining your functional limitations. Sean Kendall often advises his clients to:
- Create a detailed work history timeline. List every job you’ve had since leaving military service, including dates of employment, job duties, reasons for leaving, and any accommodations you require. Note specific instances where your service-connected disabilities interfered with job performance or led to termination.
- Document your daily limitations in writing. Keep a journal for at least two weeks leading up to your exam. Record how your disabilities affect routine activities such as getting dressed, preparing meals, running errands, or maintaining relationships. Note your good days and bad days, as the examiner needs to understand your functional capacity on typical days—not just your best moments.
- Review your service-connected conditions thoroughly. Understand exactly which disabilities are service-connected and rated by the VA. The vocational assessment focuses specifically on how these conditions, not other health issues, prevent employment. Be prepared to explain how each service-connected disability limits your work capacity.
- Bring supporting documentation to your appointment. This includes:
- Copies of your DD-214
- VA rating decision letter
- Current medication lists
- Any workplace accommodations you’ve received
If former employers provided written documentation about your performance issues or medical restrictions, bring those as well.
What Can You Expect During an Individual Unemployability Evaluation?
The examiner typically begins by reviewing your background information. They verify your work history, education level, and military service details. This initial conversation helps establish rapport and ensures they have accurate baseline information regarding:
- Details about your work experience. These might include inquiries about your longest-held positions, the physical demands of past jobs, supervisory responsibilities, and reasons for leaving your previous employment. Be specific and honest.
- Functional capacity. The examiner wants to understand what you can and cannot do reliably. How long can you stand or sit? Can you concentrate for extended periods? Do your conditions cause unpredictable flare-ups? Can you maintain regular attendance at a workplace?
- Issues beyond physical limitations. Mental health conditions often create substantial barriers to employment. The examiner may ask about your ability to handle workplace stress, interact with supervisors and coworkers, adapt to change in routine, or manage conflicts professionally.
- Your job-seeking efforts. The examiner might also want to know about recent employment applications, interview experiences, or reasons you haven’t worked. Answer honestly, but relate your responses to your service-connected disabilities.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Many Veterans understate their limitations, fearing they’ll appear weak or unmotivated. Remember: the examiner isn’t judging your character—they're assessing your functional capacity for employment. Other mistakes include:
- Focusing solely on physical limitations. Service-connected depression, anxiety, or PTSD often creates insurmountable barriers to employment, even when your physical capabilities seem adequate.
- Failing to link limitations to specific service-connected conditions. The examiner needs to understand which rated disabilities prevent employment.
- Arriving unprepared to discuss your complete work history. Gaps in employment, short-term positions, or jobs that ended badly require explanation.
- Minimizing the impact of medication side effects. Many Veterans take multiple medications for service-connected conditions. If these medications cause drowsiness, cognitive impairment, or other effects that could interfere with employment, ensure the examiner is aware of them.
How Can You Strengthen Your TDIU Vocational Opinion Results?
Consistency throughout all the evidence submitted in your claim creates a stronger case. Contradictions raise red flags and can undermine your credibility. Make sure to:
- Provide specific examples rather than general statements.
- Address both frequency and duration of limitations.
- Not exaggerate, but don’t minimize.
- Consider bringing a trusted friend or family member who can provide their perspective.
Request a copy of the opinion once it’s completed and review it carefully for accuracy. Follow up with your health care providers if the assessment revealed gaps in your medical documentation, and continue outlining your limitations even after the exam.
Sean Kendall’s legal team has helped Veterans nationwide secure the individual unemployability benefits they deserve. With decades of experience before the VA and the U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims, we know how to build compelling TDIU cases that overcome bureaucratic obstacles.
