Earning Capacity Evaluations / Vocational Rehabilitation Services
Based in Tupelo, Mississippi and in the Memphis, Tennessee area, Ascendant Consulting, Inc. (ACI) has assisted personal injury victims, attorneys, and insurance companies throughout the Southeastern United States for over 20 years. Our qualified professionals assist both plaintiffs and defendants with:
Earning Capacity Evaluations
An earning capacity evaluation – sometimes called a loss-of-earning capacity analysis – is utilized in cases where an individual has received an injury which impairs his or her ability to work and earn wages. This may be seen in a reduction of opportunity within the labor market, a loss-of-earning capacity, or a combination of the two.
Vocational Experts (VEs) are persons with advanced training and knowledge in the field of trades, professions, and occupations, and who serve to provide assessment and testimony in a litigious forum. Within the forensic context, the VE seeks to determine an individual’s residual employability following an injury resulting in physical or emotional limitations. Vocational Experts testify on an individual’s ability to engage in employment and earn income in light of injury, illness, discrimination, or some other factor that is alleged to have caused harm. In cases where the plaintiff seeks financial restitution, the VE’s primary focus is on the loss of earning capacity (LOEC) of a litigant. The ability of the vocational expert to quantify future lost earnings and loss of access to jobs can be particularly crucial in states with caps on non-economic damages.
In summary, Vocational Experts assist in determining the future loss of earnings, or the economic damages, of a plaintiff. The vocational expert is able to utilize research, government documents, authoritative texts, achievement testing and IQ testing results, as a basis for his or her conclusions. Those familiar with the Daubert (1993) and Kumho (1995) decisions will realize the importance of evidence in supporting the conclusions of an expert.
Vocational Rehabilitation Services
At ACI, we provide vocational rehabilitation services in practical, hands-on situations. Our vocational experts perform job analysis, job description, and job site modification consultation. Our experts have extensive experience analyzing work processes in manufacturing plants, distribution facilities, and processing plants, and are regularly called upon to serve local, state, and federal government entities. In addition, we have a particularly extensive wealth of experience in training and placing individuals in new jobs, allowing us to speak authoritatively on work site practices and conditions.
For assistance with an earning capacity evaluation or vocational rehabilitation services, contact Ascendant Consulting, Inc. today or call us at (662) 842-8406.