One of the most common arguments the VA uses to deny TDIU is that a veteran has transferable skills from their prior work experience that would allow them to perform other, less demanding jobs — even if they can no longer perform their former occupation. A rigorous transferable skills analysis (TSA) by a credentialed vocational expert can rebut this argument effectively.
What a Transferable Skills Analysis Is
A transferable skills analysis is a systematic evaluation of the skills, knowledge, and abilities a worker has developed through their prior employment — and a determination of whether those skills transfer to other occupations given the worker's functional limitations. In TDIU cases, the TSA addresses whether any jobs exist in the national economy that: (1) require skills the veteran possesses, (2) can be performed within the veteran's functional limitations, and (3) represent substantially gainful employment.
The Occupational Classification Framework
Vocational experts use standardized occupational classification systems — primarily the Dictionary of Occupational Titles (DOT) and O*NET — to identify the skill requirements and physical demands of both the veteran's past work and potential alternative occupations. This systematic approach is more credible than a generalized assertion about what jobs exist, because it is grounded in the same frameworks used by SSA vocational experts in disability hearings.
Why 'Other Jobs Exist' Is Not Enough
A common VA examiner error is to identify jobs a veteran could theoretically perform based on skill level alone, without accounting for the full range of the veteran's functional limitations. A proper TSA must account for all documented impairments — not just the primary condition — including cognitive limitations, psychiatric symptoms, pain-related restrictions, medication effects, and attendance reliability. Jobs that are theoretically skill-appropriate but practically unavailable to the veteran due to their functional profile should be eliminated from consideration.
Documenting the Erosion of the Occupational Base
The ultimate goal of a TSA in a TDIU case is to demonstrate that the veteran's functional limitations significantly erode or eliminate the occupational base — the universe of jobs in the national economy they could realistically obtain and maintain. When that analysis is conducted rigorously, documented clearly, and signed by a credentialed expert, it provides a strong foundation for an unemployability finding at the BVA level.
Our flat-fee vocational opinions include a complete transferable skills analysis where indicated. If you have a case where TSA is the central issue, contact us to discuss the specifics.