Considering applying for disability benefits through the Social Security Administration? Here is what you need to know regarding how the Social Security Administration evaluates your application.
The first question you need to know the answer to is whether your disability, also known as impairment(s), will cause you to miss more than twelve (12) months of work? If you are not currently working and will be unable to work for at least a twelve month period, you will pass the first step to being a qualified applicant.
Second, is your impairment(s) “severe” enough to support a finding of disability? The Social Security Administration loosely defines whether a specific impairment, or combination of impairments, can be considered “severe.” In most cases, if you are genuinely incapable of working for a twelve month period due to your impairment(s), then your impairment(s) will most likely be considered “severe” enough to qualify you for disability benefits.
Third, do your impairment(s) meet any of the medical listings set out by the Social Security Administration? There are many, many medical conditions or combinations of medical conditions where if you satisfy the designated criteria, the Social Security Administration will immediately find you qualify for disability benefits. If your impairment(s) fail to meet any of the medical listings, then your evaluation moves on to steps four and five.
Fourth, do your impairment(s) prevent you from doing any of the work you did prior to the onset of your impairment(s)? The Social Security Administration will take special care to discover your employment history and outline the vocational skills obtained from your prior employment. Should your impairment(s) prevent you from being able to conduct any past relevant work, then your evaluation will move to the fifth and final step.
Lastly, do your impairment(s) prevent you from doing any other type of employment in the national economy? The Social Security Administration may attempt to transfer vocational skills obtained from prior jobs to qualify you for other employment opportunities in the national economy you may not have done before. Ultimately, if the Social Security Administration finds you are incapable of conducting any type of work in the national economy, then you will qualify for disability benefits.
This is merely a brief overview of process used by the Social Security Administration to evaluate your application for disability benefits. The Attorneys at Arnold Wadsworth & Coggins possess the knowledge and experience needed to progress your application efficiently and successfully. This process does not cost you anything to file your application and start your case. In fact, our services come at no charge unless we win your case. Call the attorneys at Arnold Wadsworth & Coggins today to get your application for disability benefits started right away.
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