The Process

How Our TDIU Vocational Assessment Process Works

Every assessment follows the same structured methodology — from intake through written report — so you know what to expect at each step. Veterans do not need a local office visit; we serve clients nationwide through remote TDIU vocational evaluations. Schedule a TDIU consultation to confirm fit before you commit.

Step by Step

How a TDIU vocational assessment works

01

Free Case Fit Check

Before anything else, request a case fit check using the contact form. We review the basic facts — your current ratings, the nature of your claim, and what records are available — and confirm whether a vocational assessment is likely to be useful. This step is free and requires no commitment.

02

Intake & Records Submission

Once we confirm the case is a good fit, we send a secure intake link. You'll submit VA rating decisions, relevant medical records, and a work/education history. We'll identify any gaps and follow up if additional records would strengthen the assessment.

03

Records Review

We review the full record before the interview. We're specifically looking at what functional limitations are already established: pain levels, range of motion restrictions, fatigue, cognitive impacts, medication side effects, and accommodations the veteran currently requires.

04

Structured Vocational Interview (60–75 min, remote)

A structured interview covers the veteran's functional capacity in detail — how conditions affect daily activities, sustained standing and sitting, concentration, pace, and attendance. We also review the full work history to establish transferable skills and past relevant work classifications under the DOT.

05

Labor Market & Transferable Skills Analysis

Using DOT job classifications, O*NET functional data, and current labor market statistics, we analyze whether the veteran's residual functional capacity — combined with their age, education, and work history — allows for competitive employment in the national economy. We assess job base erosion directly against the VA's substantially gainful employment standard.

06

Written Report

The written report states a clear conclusion upfront, explains methodology step by step, cites all occupational and labor market sources, and is formatted for submission to VA, BVA, or CAVC. Delivered within 5–7 business days of the completed interview. Rush delivery is available.

07

Follow-Up Questions

After delivery, we answer reasonable follow-up questions about the report's methodology and conclusions. If your attorney needs clarification on a specific finding before submission, we coordinate when authorized. Supplemental declarations are available if new evidence requires a focused addendum.

Vocational Analysis

What a vocational expert reviews in a TDIU case

Before the interview, we review rating decisions, C&P examination reports, treatment records, and prior vocational materials. We are looking for established functional limitations — pain and stamina, range of motion, cognitive impacts, medication side effects, and reliability factors such as pace and attendance — not a new medical diagnosis.

During analysis we map those limits against work and education history, transferable skills, and DOT/O*NET job demands to form an employability analysis under 38 CFR § 4.16. When a denial assumes sedentary work is available, we evaluate whether desk jobs in the national economy are realistically maintainable — see our sedentary work rebuttal guide.

Veterans use the resulting report after denials, on supplemental or Board appeal, or when completing VA Form 21-8940. Attorneys use it to develop the record, rebut VA employability findings, and support arguments at BVA or CAVC.

Typical timeline: free case fit check → secure intake and records review → structured remote interview (60–75 min) → written report delivered in 5–7 business days after the completed interview. Rush delivery is available when deadlines require it.

After delivery, we answer reasonable follow-up questions about methodology and conclusions. If your attorney needs clarification before submission, we coordinate when authorized. Supplemental declarations are available if new evidence requires a focused addendum.

Return to VA TDIU vocational expert services, review pricing and deliverables, or browse TDIU resources.

Planning

What affects timeline and scope

Several factors influence how quickly an assessment moves from intake to final report and how much analysis the file requires:

Standard delivery remains 5–7 business days after the completed interview when records are in order. The written report is delivered electronically; follow-up questions about methodology are included. Browse TDIU resources and guides, review flat-fee pricing, or return to our independent vocational review overview to schedule a TDIU consultation.

Methodology

Why methodology matters

Vocational opinions are only as useful as their methodology. An opinion that states a conclusion without showing its work is easy for the VA or a BVA judge to dismiss. An opinion that names jobs, cites DOT codes, references functional demand data, and walks through its reasoning step by step is far harder to set aside.

Every TDIU Vocational Services report is built to withstand scrutiny. We explain what records we reviewed, what functional limitations we identified, which occupations we evaluated, why they do or don't fall within the veteran's residual functional capacity, and what the current labor market looks like for those positions. Records are reviewed electronically before the remote interview; the finished report is delivered electronically for submission to the VA, BVA, or your attorney. Learn more on our homepage about nationwide service and common questions, browse TDIU resources and guides, or review pricing and attorney referrals.

Our practice is narrowly focused on TDIU vocational opinions. That focus means our methodology is refined for exactly this type of claim — not adapted from a broader vocational rehabilitation practice.

Pricing

Simple, flat-fee pricing

One price. Everything included. No hidden fees.

$1,599
Complete Vocational Assessment — Flat Fee
  • Case fit check (free, no commitment required)
  • Records review and intake
  • Structured vocational interview (60–75 min, remote)
  • Transferable skills analysis
  • Labor market and job base erosion analysis
  • Written report with methodology and citations
  • Delivery in 5–7 business days
Get Started — Free Case Fit Check

Available add-ons: Rush delivery (contact for quote) · Supplemental declarations (contact for quote) · Expert hearing testimony (contact for quote)

Ready to move forward?

Start with a free case fit check. We'll confirm whether a vocational assessment is the right tool for your claim before you commit to anything.