Functional Capacity Evaluation: Advice From A Disability Lawyer
If you're a Canadian unable to work due to illness or injury, you're not alone. While it can be frustrating, disability insurance provides crucial financial support, even if it doesn't fully replace your usual income.
Insurance companies may urge you to return to work once they believe you've had enough time to recover from your medical condition. To evaluate your condition, they may request that you undergo an assessment called a Functional Capacity Evaluation.
If this is happening to you, don’t panic. We’ll provide you with the information and advice you need to ensure that you maintain your benefits if you still depend on them.
Were you asked to attend a Functional Capacity Evaluation? Contact Share Lawyers for a powerful legal advocate.
What is a Functional Capacity Evaluation?
The term "Functional Capacity Evaluation" might sound intimidating, but it’s simply a thorough assessment to understand your physical and mental abilities for work-related tasks.
The goal of these assessments is to identify your physical and mental abilities and limitations. The information gleaned from the assessment is then used in various ways, such as determining your eligibility for disability benefits, planning effective rehabilitation, or deciding on a safe return-to-work plan.
Typically, these tests determine whether you can perform the duties of your current job or another type of work. The final report illustrates the activities you can safely engage in after your injury or illness.
Here are the critical components of a Functional Capacity Evaluation:
Critical Components of a Functional Capacity Evaluation | |
Medical History Review | The evaluator will review your medical records, including prior injuries, illnesses, surgeries, and treatments. |
Physical Assessments | Tests that measure your strength, endurance, flexibility, and range of motion are standard. These include:
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Cognitive and Psychological Assessments | This portion of the evaluation will assess your mental functions, such as memory, concentration, problem-solving abilities, and emotional stability. |
Work Simulation Tasks | You may be asked to perform tasks that simulate your specific job duties to evaluate your ability to carry out work-related tasks. |
Pain and Symptom Reporting | Your evaluation will consider your personal reports of pain and other symptoms and how these affect your functional abilities. |
Consistency and Effort Training | Assessing your consistency of effort and reliability of your performance during the tests will be noted to ensure accurate results. |
Circumstances and Length | Functional Capacity Evaluations are one-on-one examinations conducted by a specialist. These evaluations may take several hours and are often spread out over multiple appointments across multiple days. |
