Vocational Rehabilitation

Vocational rehabilitation (VR) provides people dealing with disabilities with job counseling, training, and placement assistance. If you are injured in an accident in Nevada, you could access VR benefits if your injuries prevent you from returning to the job you held previously. 

Consult with our Las Vegas work injury attorneys if you’re injured at work and want to know the next steps. Depending on the circumstances of your situation, you could qualify for vocational rehabilitation services. In addition, you could get compensation for your medical bills and other losses.

What Is Vocational Rehabilitation? 

Vocational rehabilitation is a state program for people with a physical or mental disability. The program allows individuals coping with disabilities to work, become independent, and earn the money they need to stay afloat financially. 

You can access VR services in Nevada and across the United States. The services are available to people who have been diagnosed with traumatic brain injuries (TBIs), vision loss, mobility impairments, and other disabilities. 

Meet with our Nevada personal injury lawyers if you want to pursue VR services. Your attorney can teach you about Nevada’s VR services program, how it works, and whether you qualify for it. As you consider VR benefits, your lawyer can help you recover compensatory damages from anyone responsible for hurting you.

Who Can Receive Vocational Rehabilitation Services?

Vocational rehabilitation services are offered to individuals with physical or mental impairments that make it difficult to find, keep, or return to work. Those who qualify can use VR services to work for an extended period. Generally, priority for these services is given to those with significant disabilities. 

In Nevada, those who can’t return to their pre-injury job are typically eligible for vocational rehabilitation. Below are the criteria for receiving VR services in Nevada:

• A doctor confirms that you have physical restrictions that prevent you from going back to the job you had before you were diagnosed with a disability.
• Your employer hasn’t offered you a “light-duty” job that you’re able to do with your restrictions. 
• You can’t return to work at 80% of the wage you were receiving at the time you got hurt. 
• You can’t find a job on your own close to home that you can perform with your restrictions. 

Per Nevada Revised Statutes (NRS) 616C.590, the length and type of VR services program you can access may depend on your percentage of permanent impairment and your abilities and interests. 

Your personal injury lawyer in Nevada can give you insights into VR services and which ones you could receive. They want you to follow your doctor’s orders as you manage your disability symptoms. Meanwhile, they can seek compensation from any liable parties on your behalf. 

How to Get Vocational Rehabilitation Services 

Apply for vocational rehabilitation services online via the Nevada Department of Employment, Training and Rehabilitation (DETR) website. Next, you can meet with a counselor in person or virtually to discuss your disability and employment goals. From here, you and your counselor can put together an individualized plan for employment.

You will have to provide the DETR with documentation showing that you have a disability hindering your employment and require services to work. Work with workers’ comp attorneys in Vegas, as they can collect medical records and other evidence to support your VR services request.

Plus, they can help you submit your VR services application and supporting documents and boost your chances of securing the benefits that you want.