How does the Social Security Administration decide if I am disabled?
The Social Security Administration will gather your medical records and consider all of your health problems, as well as your age, education, and work experience. If the Administration decides you are unable to perform your past work, they will then decide whether you are able to perform any other work which is generally available in the regional or national economy. In making this determination, the SSA will consider your health problems, as well as your age, education, and work experience.
In general, the Social Security Administration determines that you are disabled if you have a physical or mental condition that prevents you from participating in substantial employment and which is expected to last for at least 12 months. Your condition must be included on the Administration’s list of severe medical conditions, or it must be as serious as those that are listed. At O’Malley & Langan., P.C., in Pennsylvania, we can help disabled individuals with their Social Security disability cases by ensuring that they present a strong case proving disability.
To be considered disabled by the Social Security Administration you must be both: a.) Unable to do the work you did before also b.) Unable to do any other work existing in significant numbers in the national economy due to your medical conditions, combined with your age, education and work experience. Your disability must also either last or be expected to last for at least one year or to result in death. The Social Security Administration only pays for total disability. There is no short-term or partial disability. There is no provisions for disabilities that do not last for at least twelve (12) consecutive months.
First a claim is evaluated at the initial application level. You will have to fill out various disability-related forms and possibly go to see SSA doctors. Your case will then be reviewed by an adjudicator at Disability Determination Services (DDS) to see if you qualify for benefits. When considering your application, the adjudicator must follow five steps, outlined below. STEP 1: The first question Social Security asks is whether or not you are working. Contrary to popular belief, you can still work and receive disability benefits. However, you cannot earn over a certain amount of money (known as Substantial Gainful Activity or SGA). Also, if you do work, you need to be careful not to give the impression that you are still able to perform SGA, and be prepared to answer any questions that arise about the work that you can still do. You can find out the dollar amount for SGA at Social Security Online’s Substantial Gainful Activity Web page. STEP 2: Once SSA determines that you are not w
