Disability Evaluations

Abstract

Neuropsychologists are often requested to perform disability evaluations for Social Security (Puente, 1984, 1987) or Workers’ Compensation. Generally, these evaluations require the practitioner to establish a diagnosis, to depict the patient’s functional impairments, to relate the functional impairments to the diagnosis, and to determine the patient’s capacity to work. For Workers’ Compensation evaluations, the practitioner may be additionally required to determine the degree to which the diagnosis and impairments were caused by work-related factors. It should be noted that the brief descriptions that follow do not provide sufficient information from which one could proceed with these evaluations. For Social Security disability evaluations, one should consult publications of the Social Security Administration (SSA) such as Disability Evaluation Under Social Security (Social Security Administration, 1986) and one’s local Social Security Disability Determination Branch. Each jurisdiction has its own Workers’ Compensation system. Local Workers’ Compensation agencies and representatives should be contacted regarding eligibility requirements, benefit levels, claims procedures, and relevant rules, regulations, and laws.