How Does the Social Security Administration Determine Disability?

You should be familiar with the process the Social Security Administration (SSA)  uses to determine if you are disabled. It's a step-by-step process involving five questions. They are:

1. Are you working? The SSA defines a disability as the inability to engage in substantial gainful activity (SGA) due to an impairment or combination of impairments.  The condition(s) must last or be expected to last for at least 12 months.  Part-time work may or may not constitute substantial gainful activity which would possibly disqualify a person from eligibility.  Monthly earnings below an amount set by SSA  - $940.00 gross earnings per month in 2008 for non-blind individual; $1570.00 for a blind individual, will not disaqualify a claim and are not considered SGA.  If you are, and your earnings average more than $940.00 (gross) a month, you generally cannot be considered disabled.
    
2. Is your condition severe? Your impairments must interfere with basic work-related activities for your claim to be considered.  Your impairments will need to or be expected to prevent you from working for 12 months or more.  If your condition is disabling for less than 12 months, then you will not be eligible to file for benefits.  
    
3. Is your condition found in the list of disabling impairments? Social Securtiy has established a list of impairments and criteria for each of each of the major body systems, both physical and mental.  If you condition is servere enough to meet the required criteria, you may be found disabled. If your condition is not on the list,  or does not meet the required criteria, then SSA looks to see if it is of equal severity to an impairment on the list. If it is, your claim could be approved. If it is not, then you go to the next step of review.
    
4. Can you do the work you did previously? If your condition is severe, but not at the same or equal severity as an impairment on the list, then SSA must determine if it interferes with your ability to do the work you did in the last 15 years. If it does not, your claim will be denied. If it does, your claim will be considered further.
    
5. Can you do any other type of work? If you cannot do the work you did in the last 15 years, SSA then looks to see if you can do any other type of work. SSA considers your age, education, past work experience, and transferable skills, and  reviews the job demands of occupations as determined by the Department of Labor. If you cannot do any other kind of work, your claim will be approved. If you can, your claim will be denied.