What is Social Securitys definition of disability?
The Congress of the United States defines a disability as, “the inability to engage in any substantial gainful activity by reason of any medically determinable physical or mental impairment which can be expected to result in death or which has lasted or can be expected to last for a continuous period of not less than 12 months.” A person must not only be unable to do his or her previous work but must also be unable to engage in any other kind of substantial gainful work which exists in the national economy. Social Security will not consider whether such work exists in the immediate area, whether a specific job vacancy exists, or whether the worker would be hired if he or she applied for work. The worker’s impairment or impairments must be the primary reason for his or her inability to engage in substantial gainful activity although age, education, and work experience are also taken into consideration.
The Social Security Act describes disability as, “inability to engage in any substantial gainful activity by reason of any medically determinable physical or mental impairment which can be expected to result in death or has lasted or can be expected to last for a continuous period of not less than 12 months.
