A 21st Century System for Evaluating Veterans for Disability Benefits (2007)
Chapter: E Diagram: Assessing Impairment and Functional Disability
Appendix E
Diagram: Assessing Impairment and Functional Disability
The purpose of this diagram is to illustrate a process for compensating veterans for impairment and functional limitations resulting from service-connected injury or disease. (It does not include compensation for loss of quality of life [QOL], because the methodology for determining loss of QOL remains to be determined based on a research and development effort.)
In addition to distinguishing between the criteria appropriate for determining impairment severity, such as the New York Heart Association (NYHA) classification of cardiovascular limitations and failure and the METS (metabolic equivalents of task) measure of congestive heart failure, and those appropriate for determining functional capacity, such as activities of daily living (ADLs) and instrumental activities of daily living (IADLs), the diagram shows how evaluation of disability could be connected directly to rehabilitation services.
