This document specifies the requirements for the VA Disability Claim Estimator, a software tool designed to assist veterans in estimating their VA disability claim percentages based on their medical conditions and relevant 38 CFR references.
The VA Disability Claim Estimator will provide functionalities for veterans to manage their disability claims, calculate estimated benefits, and understand their claims' basis in the regulations. It includes integration with the eCFR API for up-to-date regulatory data.
- VA: Veterans Affairs
- CFR: Code of Federal Regulations
- SRS: Software Requirements Specification
- GUI: Graphical User Interface
- API: Application Programming Interface
- eCFR: Electronic Code of Federal Regulations
- Title 38 of the Code of Federal Regulations
- eCFR API Documentation
The subsequent sections provide a detailed description of the functionality, user interfaces, performance requirements, and other necessary specifications for developing the VA Disability Claim Estimator.
The application will serve as a comprehensive tool for veterans, enabling them to compile and estimate disability claims through a user-friendly desktop interface.
- Add, edit, and remove disabilities and their details
- Correlate disabilities with CFR references and diagnostic codes
- Estimate disability claim percentages
- Manage user profiles with personal and dependent information
- Integrate with the eCFR API for real-time CFR data
- Veterans: Primary users estimating their VA disability claims.
- VA Representatives: Secondary users assisting veterans in claim estimation.
The application will be developed in Python and support Windows, macOS, and Linux, requiring Python 3.x and network access for API calls.
- The application must comply with 38 CFR for claim estimation.
- GUI developed with Tkinter or PyQt.
- Secure handling and storage of personal data.
- Service-related Conditions: Users shall input information about service-related medical conditions, including dates of diagnosis and severity.
- Non-service-related Conditions: Users may input information about non-service-related medical conditions affecting their VA benefit eligibility.
- Dependents: Users may provide information about dependents for whom they receive benefits, including their relationship and dependency status.
If Triage stores user data for future use, data will be stored securely using encryption methods. Users' personal and health information will be managed in compliance with relevant privacy laws.
Triage will be designed for ease of maintenance and updates. Updates will reflect changes in the 38 CFR references or calculation methods.
The application shall integrate with the eCFR API to retrieve metadata, corrections, and historical search data. The following endpoints shall be utilized for specific functionalities:
/api/admin/v1/agencies.json: Retrieve agencies metadata./api/admin/v1/corrections.json: Retrieve all eCFR corrections./api/admin/v1/corrections/title/{title}.json: Retrieve corrections for a specific title./api/search/v1/results: Perform a historical search of the eCFR./api/versioner/v1/ancestry/{date}/title-{title}.json: Retrieve ancestors for a given title./api/versioner/v1/full/{date}/title-{title}.xml: Retrieve source XML for a title or subset of a title./api/versioner/v1/structure/{date}/title-{title}.json: Retrieve structure JSON for a title./api/versioner/v1/titles.json: Retrieve summary information about each title./api/versioner/v1/versions.json: Retrieve all titles as hashes with their title number and date last updated./api/versioner/v1/versions/title-{title}.json: Retrieve sections and appendices inside a title.
Triage shall include in-app help, documentation, or tutorials to assist users in understanding how to use the application and interpret the results.
Consideration shall be given to making Triage accessible to users with disabilities, such as compatibility with screen readers or high-contrast display modes.
Specific testing strategies for functionality, usability, and accessibility, including unit testing, integration testing, and user acceptance testing (UAT), shall be implemented.
Triage shall gracefully handle invalid inputs, calculation errors, or data retrieval failures, providing user feedback mechanisms for errors and suggestions for correction.
Triage shall comply with relevant privacy laws (e.g., GDPR, HIPAA) regarding handling personal and health information.
Mechanisms for updating Triage in response to changes in relevant laws or VA policies shall be implemented.
A section for developers shall outline the technical architecture, codebase structure, and guidelines for contributing to the project.
A section detailing the integration with the eCFR API shall be provided. This shall include explanations of each endpoint used, along with examples of requests and responses. Required parameters and potential error responses shall be documented, and guidance on handling API responses within the application code shall be provided.
A glossary of terms shall be provided, especially for users and developers who are not familiar with VA terminology or medical terms used in the application.