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We’ve mentioned before that one of the issues with functional capacity testing for long term disability claims is that there is no across-the-board test that is used by everybody. While one examiner might decide to try an isokinetic lift test, another may opt for one that is psychophysical. The differences in these testing methods can potentially lead to problems and questions of fairness, but FCE tests aren’t entirely without policing.
Every test is supposed to meet the standards laid down in the 5 pillars: Safety, Reliability, Validity, Practicality, Utility. What do those terms really mean?
You can’t hurt the claimant. This one seems obvious, but that doesn’t make it any less important. At no point should an FCE test have an even moderate chance of doing harm to the person taking it. In short, tests have to be evaluated to make sure they’re reasonably safe.
Results should be consistent. Regardless of who is doing the evaluating, the test should have standardized procedures that make it more likely to produce results that are reliable and dependable.
The real world is mirrored. It does no one any good if the test provides results that don’t offer up a clear picture of what the claimant’s behavior is like in the real world. What this really means is that the test needs to accurately measure what it’s intended to measure.
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It’s worth the effort. Tests take time. They take money. And they often put the person taking them through no small amount of discomfort. Because of this, tests have to show that the results are worth all the trouble – or, rather, that the “trouble” involved is relatively minimal.
Information must be useful. What’s the point of a test that gives you information you can’t really use? There isn’t one. Therefore, all FCE tests need to show that the data they are collecting from each test actually has a purpose.
If you’re not convinced that every part of your FCE meets these requirements, it’s in your best interests to talk to an experienced disability lawyer who can look at the tests objectively.
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