Functional Capacity Exam: What FCE Tests Mean for Claims

Author: Disability Attorneys Dell & Schaefer
Published: 2010/09/20 - Updated: 2026/01/11
Publication Type: Informative
Category Topic: Claims - Related Publications

Page Content: Synopsis - Introduction - Main - Insights, Updates

Synopsis: This information, provided by disability attorneys who specialize in long-term disability claims, breaks down how Functional Capacity Evaluations work and why they matter for anyone navigating the insurance claim process. An FCE measures physical capabilities against standard Department of Labor occupational requirements - from sedentary to heavy work - and the results can make or break a disability case. What makes this particularly valuable for people with disabilities and those considering Social Security or private insurance claims is the candid explanation of FCE limitations: insurers often dispute testing methods, and results can be interpreted different ways depending on who orders the exam. The guidance here helps claimants understand when agreeing to an FCE makes strategic sense and when it might jeopardize their case, advice that's hard to find elsewhere since most resources either promote FCEs uncritically or dismiss them entirely - Disabled World (DW).

Introduction

What is a Functional Capacity Exam (FCE) and Should I go to a FCE?

A Functional Capacity Evaluation or Exam or an FCE is a battery of tests that you will be put through to see what your physical capabilities are with regard to work. Usually, it's going to be weighed against the typical Department of Labor and dictionary of occupational title standards of sedentary, light, medium, heavy.

Going to one; FCEs can be a double-edge sword.

Main Content

It could come up that there's nothing wrong with you or, on the flip-side, may say this person can't even work at a sedentary level. There's many ways of having them performed; there's different types.

Insurance companies are always very quick to try to point out that the one you had wasn't sufficient, it's unreliable, that theirs is better. So there's a lot that goes into giving an FCE.

FCEs can be wonderful, wonderful evidence of disability, but at the same time can also hurt you.

Like statistics, it can be used any which way you want to do it, so it's very important to know what all your options are before going to have an FCE.

If you have any questions, if the insurance company wants to send you to one, or you have a question about your own claim and possibly your doctor's even referring you to one, or if your doctor is suggesting you undergo have an FCE, give us a call and we can discuss what your options are, what your possibilities are, and what you might be able to expect.

Insights, Analysis, and Developments

Editorial Note: The double-edged nature of Functional Capacity Evaluations reveals something important about disability determination itself: objective testing can never fully capture the day-to-day reality of living with chronic pain, fatigue, or progressive conditions. While an FCE might show that someone can lift a certain weight in a controlled clinical setting, it says nothing about whether they could sustain that activity through an eight-hour workday, five days a week, without triggering debilitating flare-ups. Insurance companies know this gap exists, which is why they're often eager to rely on FCE results when favorable but quick to challenge methodology when they're not. Anyone facing an FCE request should approach it as what it truly is - not a neutral scientific measurement, but a piece of evidence that will be fought over, interpreted selectively, and potentially used against them unless they enter the process with clear legal guidance and realistic expectations about what the test can and cannot prove - Disabled World (DW).