Yes, everyone likely believes their condition is severe enough to keep them from working. But in fact, the Social Security Administration (SSA) has its own definition of severity. In order to qualify for disability benefits, one must meet this stringent requirement.
Why Past Work Is So Important For SSD.
Almost 99% of people who file for Social Security disability believe that because they are unable to do their present category of work, they should be found disabled.
However, this thinking is flawed. Yes, determining if a person is unable to return to past work is important when deciding if one is eligible for Social Security disability benefits, but that is only the tip of the iceberg. There is more to be understood below the surface.
There are actually five-steps a person must overcome to receive disability benefits. They are: (1) a person is not earning above a certain level of income, (2) his or her condition is severe, (3) they may or may not meet a medical listing of their condition, (4) he or she cannot return to work completed within the last 15 years, and (5) there are no other jobs within the national economy a person can perform even despite his or her condition.
More than likely, your Social Security disability case is going to be denied at least once. This is especially true if you are under the age of 50 or you only have a mental impairment(s) that keep you from working. If you fit within these two categories, chances are you may be denied more than once. And, even if you are not within either category, you could find your case being denied just the same.
If you’re going to file for Social Security disability benefits, here are some things you really need to know:
After one of my clients is denied, I often stop the appeal process and ask them a couple of questions to determine whether he or she is willing to take his or her Social Security disability claim to the next step.