If a traumatic injury caused the claimant’s disability, the onset of disability is
the day of the traumatic event. The fact the claimant worked on the day of the trauma
is not relevant. If medical evidence from the date of the traumatic event is not available,
but medical or other records refer to the original trauma, and there is no contradictory
evidence, we establish the EOD as of the date of the traumatic event, provided the
claimant meets the technical factors for disability on the date of the injury.
When a traumatic injury occurs after the alleged onset date (AOD), we must address
medical severity for the period between the AOD and the date of the traumatic injury.
EXAMPLE: A claimant has an AOD of 02/16/2011. The claimant is involved in an automobile accident
on 08/02/2011. Injuries sustained as a result of the accident are sufficient to allow
Disability Insurance Benefit (DIB) onset as of 08/22/11. However, the DDS must obtain
medical evidence for the period between the AOD and the injury to determine if we
can establish an earlier EOD.