VA Disability—What You Need to Know When Advocating for Your Client – Track II [Day 4] (Presented by National Organization of Social Security Claimants’ Representatives)
Before her advocacy for Veterans, Jacqueline worked as an Attorney-Adviser for the Social Security Administration's Office of Disability Adjudication & Review (Office of Appellant Operations, Division of Quality and Review).
1 hour CLE
Get this course, plus over 1,000+ live webinars.
Learn More
Program Summary
What are VA ratings (a proxy for an expected loss of employment earnings based on specific symptoms)? How to incorporate VA ratings using VA rating criteria to help support an RFC. What is the difference between a 100% rating and individual unemployability (TDIU)? The use of VA Compensation and Pension examinations to determine the appropriate rating and how to use this information to support an RFC and/or provide helpful hypotheticals to MEs and VEs during a hearing. How a VA decision's finding that a veteran is totally disabled based on individual unemployability (TDIU) is different than a Step 4 and Step 5 analysis regarding the ability to perform past work and the ability to perform other work in the national economy?
Key topics to be discussed:
- Understanding and applying VA ratings in disability cases
- Using VA examinations and criteria to support RFC and hearing strategies
- Differentiating VA unemployability findings from Social Security Step 4 and Step 5 analyses
This course is co-sponsored with myLawCLE.
Eligible for up to 1 CLE Credit Hour
This session was originally submitted for CLE as a live, in-person presentation and a live webcast for the Fall 2025 National Conference – Track II Conference and may be eligible for self-study credit.
Each state handles self-study credit differently; for questions, please consult your State Bar Association.
Recorded on September 12, 2025
Closed-captioning available
Speakers
Jacqueline McCormack | Cameron Firm PC
Before her advocacy for Veterans, Jacqueline worked as an Attorney-Adviser for the Social Security Administration’s Office of Disability Adjudication & Review (Office of Appellant Operations, Division of Quality and Review). Jacqueline reviewed SSA favorable hearing decisions on “own motion” to determine whether to file a formal own motion review or effectuate the grant. Her unique team pioneered “focused reviews” to audit the quality of particular ALJ hearings and decisions, as well as issue-specific reviews and large-scale fraud. Our findings were presented directly to the Deputy Commissioner. Jacqueline has audited hundreds of SSA hearings and reviewed thousands of Favorable Hearing Decisions.
Agenda
I. Understanding and applying VA ratings in disability cases | 12:45pm – 1:05pm
II. Using VA examinations and criteria to support RFC and hearing strategies | 1:05pm – 1:25pm
III. Differentiating VA unemployability findings from Social Security Step 4 and Step 5 analyses | 1:25pm – 1:45pm
More CLE Webinars
Trending CLE Webinars
Upcoming CLE Webinars
