For Veterans

Your service-connected conditions should be working for you.

If your disabilities are preventing you from maintaining substantially gainful employment, you may qualify for TDIU — and a vocational assessment can help prove it.

The Basics

What is TDIU?

Total Disability based on Individual Unemployability (TDIU) allows veterans to receive VA disability compensation at the 100% rate — even when their combined rating falls below 100% — if their service-connected conditions prevent substantially gainful employment.

The VA's standard question: Can you maintain substantially gainful employment? If your service-connected conditions make that impossible or unrealistic, TDIU may be warranted.

Rating minimums: Generally one condition at 60%+, or a combined rating of 70%+ with at least one condition at 40%. Extraschedular grants are also available under § 4.16(b) when circumstances warrant it.

Why It Matters

The gap the VA doesn't fill

The VA makes its own employability determination — but often without a vocational specialist. That determination may be based on a general reading of your records rather than a systematic analysis of what jobs you could realistically perform given your specific limitations.

An independent vocational assessment provides what the VA's process often lacks: a documented, methodologically sound analysis connecting your limitations to real-world occupational demands and labor market data.

Request a Free Case Fit Check
Our Process

What happens in a vocational assessment

Every assessment follows the same structured process to ensure clear, defensible conclusions.

01

Records Review

We review your VA rating decisions, service medical records, and relevant treatment notes. We're looking at the limitations that are already established — pain levels, functional restrictions, medication side effects, cognitive impacts.

02

Work and Education History

We clarify your past relevant work, education, and training — the foundation for analyzing transferable skills and the types of jobs you could realistically perform.

03

Structured Vocational Interview

A 60–75 minute remote interview covers your current functional capacity, daily activities, pain patterns, and how your conditions affect your ability to work. This is conducted professionally and at your pace.

04

Labor Market Analysis

Using DOT job classifications, O*NET functional demands, and current labor statistics, we analyze whether the national job base is sufficiently eroded by your limitations.

05

Written Report Delivery

A clear, cited report states our findings and conclusions. Methods are explained step by step so the VA rater or BVA judge can follow the reasoning. Delivered within 5–7 business days of your interview.

Pricing

Flat fee — no surprises

$1,599
Complete Vocational Assessment
  • 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
Request a Free Case Fit Check

Add-ons available: Rush delivery · Supplemental declarations · Hearing testimony

Questions

Frequently asked by veterans

No. A vocational opinion is not a medical diagnosis. We accept your service-connected conditions as already established and analyze what those limitations mean for your ability to work. This is a separate and complementary type of evidence from a medical nexus opinion.
No. Veterans can order an assessment directly. However, if you have an attorney or accredited representative, it's often best to coordinate with them so the report is formatted and submitted strategically.
The standard rating thresholds (60% for one condition, or 70% combined with one at 40%) are not absolute. Under 38 CFR § 4.16(b), the VA can grant TDIU extrascheduarly in exceptional circumstances. A strong vocational opinion can support an extraschedular argument. Request a case fit check and we'll give you an honest assessment.
Start by requesting a free case fit check using the contact form. We'll review the basic facts of your claim and confirm whether a vocational assessment is likely to be helpful before you commit to the fee.

Not sure if your case qualifies?

Request a free case fit check. We'll review the basics and give you an honest answer before you commit to anything.