In connection with the introduction of the assessment of daily functioning in Ukraine, we describe the procedure and important aspects of obtaining disability status by a serviceman who has suffered a wound, injury, contusion, mutilation, or deterioration of health.
1. Stabilization of the condition and documentation of the circumstances of the injury
The first stage after a serviceman is injured is associated with his evacuation, provision of medical care, and documentation of the circumstances of the injury.
Evacuation from a combat zone
The first minutes after injury are the most critical. At this time, the evacuation of a serviceman from the battlefield is carried out by his comrades or medical personnel of the unit. The process usually has several stages:
- Providing first aid. This may include stopping the bleeding, applying a tourniquet, and stabilizing the condition to avoid further injury.
- Evacuation. The casualty is transported to the nearest stabilization point, medical company, or other designated aid point, usually located near the fighting.
- Documentary support. At this stage, the first medical document begins to form — Form 100 ("Wounded Card"). It records the circumstances of the injury, the main diagnoses, and first aid measures.
It is important to note that medical care can be provided both in a state or military institution and in a private clinic, if it is the closest place where it is possible to stabilize the condition of the serviceman. The type of institution does not affect the quality or mandatoryness of further documentation, but primary medical documentation (form 100) is necessarily formed.
What happens to a soldier's personal belongings?
During the provision of assistance, the soldier's weapons, ammunition, body armor, helmet, and other protective equipment are confiscated. This not only facilitates access to injured body parts, but also ensures accounting for material assets, for which the military unit's support services are responsible.
What does a serviceman do if the injury occurred outside of a combat zone?
In the event of an injury or illness sustained while performing duties at a permanent deployment point or outside a combat zone, the algorithm of actions changes. In such a situation, a serviceman:
- Informs the command. Verbally reports the event to the immediate commander and platoon or company medic.
- Receives verbal referral. The commander gives consent or verbal direction to contact the military unit's medical facility.
- He goes to the medical center. At the medical center, an initial examination is performed by a doctor, paramedic, or head of the medical service (chief medical officer).
Based on the results of the examination, treatment at a medical center, referral for additional examinations, or inpatient treatment at a healthcare facility (civilian or military) may be prescribed.
The role of documents at this stage
Documentation at this stage is critically important. It is the collected medical and supporting documents that confirm the connection of the injury or illness with the performance of official duties. This affects the possibility of establishing disability status, receiving social guarantees and avoiding bureaucratic delays in the future.
A transparent evacuation system, high-quality recording of medical data, and documentation of the circumstances of the injury provide the serviceman with timely assistance, support, and simplify the next stages.
2. Referral to the VLK: status analysis and further decisions
When the serviceman's condition is stabilized, if there are appropriate medical indications, he is sent to undergo a military medical commission (VLK) or a medical flight commission (LLK), depending on the specifics of the service and the injuries received. The main goal of this stage is to assess the serviceman's health, determine the impact of the injuries or illnesses on his ability to perform his duties, and decide on further actions.
The initiator of referral to the VLK or LLK may be the direct superior of the serviceman (from the unit commander and above), the doctor of the medical post of the military unit or hospital, as well as authorized bodies, such as military administrations, the prosecutor's office or the court. These provisions are enshrined in paragraph 6.1 of Article 6 Order of the Ministry of Defense dated 14.08.2008 No. 402 «"On approval of the Regulations on military medical examination in the Armed Forces of Ukraine.".
A military medical or flight medical board analyzes the collected medical documents, the results of examinations and treatment, and also conducts an examination of the serviceman. The extent of the injury or illness and its impact on the ability to perform official duties are assessed.
Based on this analysis, a decision is made to refer for an assessment of daily functioning if an injury or illness significantly limits the functioning of the serviceman. In such cases, the head of the VLK, as well as the attending physician, has the right to create an electronic referral to an institution with expert teams. In the case of severe injuries or a chronic illness that affects work capacity, the commission may recommend registration of disability status. The commission may also prescribe rehabilitation measures necessary to restore health.
After the serviceman's health condition stabilizes, for certain diagnoses and interventions, the head of the VLK has the ability to immediately generate an electronic referral for an assessment of daily functioning. This does not require waiting 120 days from the moment of injury. If the medical information is sufficient to start the process, this allows for a prompt transition to the next stage, which is especially important for servicemen with severe injuries or significant functional impairments.
Required documents for VLK
To pass a military medical commission (VLK) or a medical flight commission (LLK) in wartime, a serviceman must prepare a full package of documents. It includes:
- Referral for a medical examination by the VLK
This document is issued by the authority that initiates the referral (for example, the unit commander or the medical point doctor).
- Medical documentation confirming health status
These are documents that confirm the onset, progression of a disease, or injury. They include:
- Medical book, medical records of an inpatient or outpatient patient, extracts from them.
- Certificates from healthcare institutions.
- Certificates of illness.
- Extracts from the patient registration book in the outpatient clinic during the initial request for medical care.
- Laboratory results, X-rays, MRI or CT scan results, and medical advisories regarding the serviceman's health.
- Identity documents
- Military ID or officer's ID.
- Passport of a citizen of Ukraine.
- Additional features (if needed)
- Medical characteristics. Provided in case of referral due to mental disorders or upon re-referral for a medical examination within 12 months of the previous one.
- Job Description: Provided only in cases of mental disorders or repeated referral for examination.
- Certificate of the circumstances of the injury
This document is issued by a military unit in the event that a serviceman receives an injury, wound, contusion or mutilation while performing his/her duties. The certificate is issued by form, according to Appendix 5 to the Regulations on Military Medical Examination in the Armed Forces of Ukraine, and is signed by the commander of the military unit. After that, it is sent to the healthcare facility where the wounded person is.
If a certificate of the circumstances of the injury has not been issued, the serviceman has the right to file a report addressed to the commander of the military unit with a request to conduct an investigation and issue this certificate.
Originals or copies of the certificate of the circumstances of the injury, as well as accident reports (in the form provided for by Instruction No. 332), are transferred by the military unit to the healthcare institution in electronic or paper form. The document is drawn up in at least two copies: one is transferred to the VLK, the other is stored in the serviceman's personal file.
- Certificate of combat participant (if available)
This document helps to take into account the specifics of the injuries or illnesses.
- Excerpts from the personnel file and other reference materials
Must be certified by the relevant officials of the military unit and stamped.
All submitted documents must be up-to-date, correspond to the state at the time of consideration of the case, and provide the commission with a complete picture of the serviceman's health. This will allow for the most accurate determination of further steps, including referral for assessment of daily functioning or appointment of rehabilitation measures.
How to write a report for submission to the VLK?
A serviceman can independently initiate a referral to the VLK by submitting a report to the unit commander. The report should state the grounds for a medical examination, including the presence of injuries, consequences of injuries, or illnesses that affect the ability to perform official duties.
The sending of servicemen to the VLK is carried out by direct superiors from the commander of a separate unit or by officials equal to them exclusively on the recommendation of a doctor of a health care institution. This is regulated by Chapter 6 Order of the Ministry of Defense dated 14.08.2008 No. 402 «"On approval of the Regulations on military medical examination in the Armed Forces of Ukraine.".
3. Assessment of daily functioning: expert team decision
After completing the VLK and issuing an electronic referral by the VLK head or attending physician, the serviceman moves on to the assessment of daily functioning. This process is conducted by an expert team of doctors who specialize in determining the degree of limitations in a person's functioning due to injuries or illnesses.
The expert team works on the basis of multidisciplinary healthcare institutions. The doctor together with the serviceman can choose a medical institution from the list available in the electronic system for assessing daily functioning. The choice depends on the serviceman's location, as well as the chosen form of assessment: in-person, in-person, remote or on-site. If the health condition makes it difficult to move, the assessment can be carried out at the serviceman's actual location or treatment location.
The assessment of daily functioning must be conducted within 30 days of the electronic referral by the head of the VLK. The administrator of the healthcare facility where the expert team works must review the submitted case within 5 days of receiving the referral to either put the case in the queue and the system will determine the date and time of the assessment, or return the case for revision due to inaccuracies. If the case is put in the queue, the serviceman will receive a notification by email (his or her proxy) about the form, time and place of the assessment. If there is no email, the information will be sent by registered mail to the address of the serviceman's actual stay.
Document verification by administrator
Before scheduling an assessment, the facility administrator checks the completeness and compliance of the submitted documents with the requirements of regulatory legal acts. If the required documents are not attached to the referral or they do not meet the established criteria, the case may be returned to the doctor who created the referral for further processing. Such cases are regulated by paragraphs 21 and 22 of the Procedure for Conducting an Assessment of a Person’s Daily Functioning, approved by Resolution of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine dated 15.11.2024 No. 1338.
The assessment is carried out in one of the following forms:
- Eye shape. The serviceman personally arrives at the healthcare facility for an examination and interview.
- Correspondence form. The expert team reviews documents without the personal presence of the serviceman if sufficient information is provided.
- Remote form. Telemedicine is used to interact with a serviceman.
- Travel uniform. The assessment is carried out at the place of treatment or stay if the serviceman cannot arrive at the facility on his own.
How is the assessment done?
The assessment is conducted by an expert team that analyzes the submitted documents and, in the case of an in-person, remote or on-site assessment, conducts an additional examination or survey. During the assessment, special attention is paid to the degree of functional impairment, the impact of the injury or illness on daily activities, and the need for social support or rehabilitation.
Based on the results obtained, the expert team should make a decision on establishing disability, determining the timing of re-evaluation (if necessary), and should provide recommendations on rehabilitation measures.
The decision will be entered into the electronic system, and the serviceman will receive a copy of it by e-mail or, if necessary, in printed form. The document will also be available in the electronic office of the doctor who referred him for assessment. All data will be transmitted to the social protection authorities responsible for further assistance.
4. Receiving assessment results and follow-up actions
After the evaluation by the expert team is completed, the serviceman will receive a decision on the results of the evaluation. This decision is generated in an electronic system, which ensures its availability to all interested parties. The serviceman will receive it in the form of an electronic message sent to the specified email address. In the absence of an email, the decision is sent by registered mail to the address of actual stay. The document will also be available in the office of the doctor who initiated the referral for evaluation.
Based on the adopted decision, the serviceman may:
- Apply for a job one-time cash assistance. This opportunity is provided if the disability was incurred as a result of an injury, contusion, mutilation or other injury related to the performance of official duties.
- Start processing social benefits or other benefits provided for persons with disability status. All necessary data will be transferred to the social protection authorities responsible for providing these services.
- Organize rehabilitation measures, if recommended by the expert team. This may include both medical and social rehabilitation aimed at restoring functioning or facilitating living conditions.
In case of disagreement with the decision of the expert team, the serviceman has the right to appeal it by filing a complaint with Functional Assessment Center person in accordance with the established procedure. This stage completes the process of determining disability, opening the serviceman access to the necessary social support, rehabilitation and other guarantees provided for by law.
We also inform about A military serviceman's guide after injury via link https://turbota.mil.gov.ua