Qualifying for Disability Benefits
There are two different and distinct disability programs administered by the Social Security Administration.
When determining whether or not an individual qualifies for Supplemental Security Income or Social Security Disability benefits, the SSA adheres to a stringent five-step assessment program. A definite ruling of disabled or not disabled at any point in the five steps ends the assessment without the need to proceed to the next step.
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How the SSA Determines Disability
The first part of the assessment will seek to ascertain whether or not an applicant is participating in any “substantial gainful activity.” If necessary, the SSA administrators will then try to determine if a person is suffering from a severe impairment that is equal to one of the medical impairments listed in SSA regulations. A person’s residual functional capacity and how that affects their ability to work may then be looked into.
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Reasons A Person May Be Found Not Disabled
Unless the determination has already been made in a past step, a person will be found not disabled if they are able to transition to other substantial work given their current physical abilities and experience. Even if a person has a medically determinable impairment, they may also be found not disabled if they are still capable of completing past relevant work. An attorney may be able to help an applicant for SSI or SSD to achieve their desired outcome or to appeal a ruling of not disabled that was made by the SSA.
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