Common Questions
Frequently Asked Questions
Answers to common questions about our services, process, credentials, and geographic coverage. Don't see your question? Contact us directly.
A vocational expert (VE) is a credentialed professional who evaluates an individual's ability to work, earn wages, and sustain employment given their education, training, experience, and any medical restrictions. In litigation, VEs provide opinions on employability, earning capacity, and labor market conditions. KWVRS vocational experts hold credentials such as CRC, CVE, and ABVE/D.
KWVRS accepts cases across a wide range of practice areas, including personal injury, workers' compensation, medical malpractice, wrongful death, wrongful termination, long-term disability, and matrimonial/family law. KWVRS accepts engagements from both plaintiff and defense counsel, and opinions are based solely on the evidence.
A life care plan is an individualized, evidence-based document that projects the future medical and non-medical care needs of a person with a catastrophic injury or chronic condition. It details the cost of all recommended care across the claimant's remaining life expectancy and is typically used to calculate future damages in litigation. KWVRS's certified life care planners (CLCPs) prepare plans that comply with IARP and IALCP standards. The planners responsible for each engagement, and the physician support available for items within the scope of medical practice, are set out on the life care planning practice page.
Forensic economic analysis quantifies the economic damages resulting from injury or death. This includes lost earnings, lost earning capacity, lost household services, and fringe benefits - all calculated in present value. KWVRS's affiliated forensic economists at kweconomics.com provide these analyses for personal injury, wrongful death, and wrongful termination cases.
Wage loss is a forensic economic calculation - the difference between what someone earned pre-injury and what they now earn or are expected to earn. Earning capacity evaluation is a vocational determination - it establishes what an injured person is vocationally capable of earning, given their transferable skills, labor market conditions, and medical restrictions. Both are typically needed in catastrophic injury cases.
Yes. KWVRS experts hold nationally recognized certifications and have provided testimony in state and federal courts throughout the country. KWVRS reports are prepared to meet the admissibility standards applied in state and federal courts, and to withstand cross-examination on methodology, data sources, and professional standards.
Yes. KWVRS accepts cases in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and U.S. territories. Reports are prepared to the expert disclosure requirements of the forum, account for the relevant state vocational rehabilitation agency where a case involves one, and draw on labor market data for the relevant area. Attorneys confirm the governing rule for their case.
Report turnaround time depends on the complexity of the case, availability of medical records, and whether an in-person evaluation is required. An initial evaluation report is typically 30 to 60 days from receipt of complete records. Rush timelines may be available - contact us to discuss your deadline.
For litigation purposes, look for a Certified Rehabilitation Counselor (CRC), Certified Vocational Evaluator (CVE), or Diplomate of the American Board of Vocational Experts (ABVE/D). The CRC and the ABVE/D each rest on a graduate degree, supervised or documented experience and a national examination; the CVE is built on a current CRC, the commission's course package and a capstone evaluation report reviewed by its advisory panel. KWVRS's lead experts hold multiple credentials, including Ph.D.-level academic qualifications.
Yes, and this can be an efficient approach for catastrophic injury matters. KWVRS's multidisciplinary team can coordinate a vocational evaluation, life care plan, and forensic economic analysis for the same case, ensuring consistency across opinions and reducing the burden on the retaining attorney.
A vocational expert evaluates labor market factors - what jobs someone can perform, what those jobs pay, and whether the person is competitively employable. An occupational therapist (OT) evaluates functional capacity - what physical and cognitive tasks a person can actually perform. In complex injury cases, both are often needed: the OT establishes functional limits, and the vocational expert translates those limits into labor market consequences.
Contact our office by phone at (201) 343-0700 or via the contact form on this website. A member of our intake team will follow up within one business day to discuss case details, required documentation, and expert availability. We accept cases from plaintiff counsel, defense counsel, insurance carriers, and self-represented claimants.
References
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. (n.d.). Occupational Outlook Handbook. U.S. Department of Labor. bls.govGovernment
- National Center for O*NET Development. (n.d.). O*NET OnLine. U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration. onetonline.orgGovernment
- Commission on Rehabilitation Counselor Certification. (n.d.). Certified Rehabilitation Counselor (CRC) certification. Retrieved July 19, 2026. crccertification.comOrganization
- Commission on Rehabilitation Counselor Certification. (n.d.). Certified Vocational Evaluation Specialist (CVE). Retrieved July 19, 2026. crccertification.comOrganization
- American Board of Vocational Experts. (n.d.). Diplomate (ABVE/D) certification. Retrieved July 19, 2026. abve.netOrganization
- International Academy of Life Care Planners. (2022). Standards of practice for life care planners (4th ed.). International Association of Rehabilitation Professionals. member.aanlcp.orgOrganization
- International Commission on Health Care Certification. (n.d.). The Certified Life Care Planner (CLCP) certification. Retrieved July 19, 2026. ichcc.orgOrganization
- Arias, E., Xu, J., & Kochanek, K. D. (2025). United States life tables, 2023. National Vital Statistics Reports, 74(6), 1-63. National Center for Health Statistics. doi.orgGovernment
- Tinari, F. D. (Ed.). (2016). Forensic economics: Assessing personal damages in civil litigation. Palgrave Macmillan. doi.orgPeer-Reviewed
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. (n.d.). American Time Use Survey (ATUS). U.S. Department of Labor. bls.govGovernment
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. (n.d.). Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS). U.S. Department of Labor. bls.govGovernment
- Truthan, J. A., & Karman, S. E. (2003). Transferable skills analysis and vocational information in a time of transition. Journal of Forensic Vocational Analysis, 6(1), 17-25. skilltran.comPeer-Reviewed
- Daubert v. Merrell Dow Pharmaceuticals, Inc., 509 U.S. 579 (1993). supreme.justia.comCase Law
- Testimony by Expert Witnesses, Federal Rules of Evidence. law.cornell.eduCase Law
- Frye v. United States, 293 F. 1013 (D.C. Cir. 1923). static.case.lawCase Law
- Rehabilitation Services Administration. (n.d.). About RSA. U.S. Department of Education. rsa.ed.govGovernment
- American Occupational Therapy Association. (2020). Occupational therapy practice framework: Domain and process (4th ed.). American Journal of Occupational Therapy, 74(Suppl. 2), 7412410010. doi.orgPeer-Reviewed
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