Description of Services

1. Vocational Testing, Evaluation and Counseling
Vocational Rehabilitation is available in both the public and private sectors. Private rehabilitation does entail a cost to the employer, but the benefits reaped almost always outweigh the cost. At England & Company, we have experience in dealing with all the factors involved in Workers' Compensation and other litigated cases and are aware of the potential pitfalls involved. We provide intensive one-on-one counseling, testing, career placement and other related services. We realize the importance of quick response and timely results.

Certified Vocational Rehabilitation Counselors determine if an individual is permantly and totally disabled or employable in light of his/her abilities and the effects of the impairment. Assistance is available for that transition.

      * TESTING - The following tests are administered for evaluation purposes:
      WRAT, GATB, CAI, WAIS, MMPI.

      * TRANSFERABLE SKILLS ANALYSIS - England's vocational
      specialists evaluate and assess the individual's skills, knowledge, aptitudes,
      personal characteristics, tolerance and experience that a worker currently
      possesses with its applicability to related job duties.

      * LABOR MARKET SURVEY - A list of actual job openings and salaries
      currently available is developed to assist in vocational counseling and job
      placement and/or used for expert testimony.

      * COUNSELING - The individual is familiarized with the options available,
      including direct job placement, on-the-job training, or short-term classroom
      training followed by job placement. Counselors also deal with the
      psychosocial factors involved in a career change.

2. Job Placement Services
England's job placement staff:

• Assist clients in the process of developing a resume, interview techniques and job seeking skills. Also provision of direct placement assistance and follow-up to assure job retention.
• Reduce or eliminate the worker's wage loss through aggressive job place assistance.
  
• Perform Vocational Evaluation to determine worker's employability and earning potential in the open labor market.
  
• Utilize worker's transferable skills to secure gainful employment and maximize worker's earning power.
  
• Establish on-the-job training programs so workers can earn a paycheck while learning a new career.
  
• Provide a written vocational rehabilitation plan to all involved parties which outlines the worker's responsibilities.
  
• Guarantee job placement for cooperative job seeking participants.
  
• Carefully document all files for potential use in future expert testimony.
  
• Prevent files from total disability status for the severely injured worker by providing the worker with successful job placement services.
  
• Ensure job retention through follow-up services.

3. Life Care Plans
England's life care planning team has over ten years experience in life care planning and includes both nurse case manager, vocational rehabilitation assessment and analysis. Our plans are well researched and documented to provide reasonable projections regarding anticipated expenses over the life of a catastrophically injured individual.
We also provide critical review of Life Care Plans prepared by other Life Care Planners to assess reasonableness of recommendation, as well as accuracy of cost figures.

4. Expert Testimony
* England's case load includes admiralty, railroad, product liability, State Workers' Compensation, Social Security, disability, medical malpractice and dissolution of marriage. Referrals come from insurance companies, TPA's, defense and plaintiff law firms, self-insured companies and government agencies.
* England's testimony experience encompasses Federal and State courts throughout the Midwest, as well as several other areas of the country.
* England's Vocational Experts provide opinions on an individual's background, medical records and, if possible, meeting directly with him/her.