VBA needs to know for rating purposes how each condition you evaluate impacts aspects of the Veteran's or Servicemember's daily life including employment, personal, or social activities. Each documentation protocol has a section to record what you find out during the examination by talking to the Veteran or Servicemember. Asking open-ended questions can help you gather information about

• the disease or body part-specific limitations,
• limitations on employment-related activities,
• limitations on personal and social activities, and
• activities of daily life (if indicated).

You may gather information such as how a condition affects lifting, carrying, pushing, pulling, bending, twisting, keyboarding, or changing positions for however many minutes or hours at work (even if the claimant is not employed). Keep in mind that you should not make statements about whether the claimant is employable, as only VBA makes that determination, generally based on a special Individual Unemployability evaluation.

You'll sometimes ask questions about how conditions affect activities of daily living (ADLs) or instrumental activities of daily living (IADLs). For example, an injured arm can affect activities like dressing or driving a car.

C&P mental health examiners need to determine the extent to which a diagnosed mental condition results in impairment to a Veteran's social functioning as well as occupational functioning.

It's helpful when you can quantify statements about functional impairment. For example, specify a claimant's description that he or she cannot sit for more than two hours, cannot lift five pounds, or has difficulty walking for fifteen minutes.