What is Social Security Looking for in Disability Cases?

When the Social Security Administration reviews a disability claim there are specific details that are being investigated. The Administration is concerned with a claimant's diagnosis as well as the effects that a claimant's medical condition has on his/her ability to work.

For Social Security disability and SSDI disability claims involving physical health problems, the DDS examiner will evaluate a claimant's past work to determine if the claimant is able to return to any past job. If it is determined that the claimant is not capable of entering back into past work, the examiner will move on to the next step in the evaluation process to decide if the claimant is capable of doing other work. Other work is a selection of other jobs based on current physical capabilities and past work skills. Past work and other work are a big factor in the disability evaluation process.

The disability examiner will also review the claimant's physical abilities. For example, If the disability involves degenerative disc disease or arthritis in the upper extremities, the ability to raise one's arms to shoulder level or higher might be significantly impaired, affecting the ability to use the hands to perform intricate work. Based on a review of the claimant's medical evidence, the examiner may assess how well the claimant could perform overhead reaching, or dexterous finger movements.

So, what is Social Security looking for in disability cases? Sufficient, and recent, medical evidence that supports an individual's claim that they are not capable of working (i.e. performing any work they did in the past or any "other" reasonable work) and that this incapacity has lasted, or will last for a period of not less than twelve full months. A qualified Social Security lawyer can help you through this trying time and help to guide you through this often frustrating and time- consuming process.