Social Security Disability
There are different types of Social Security Benefits that can provide financial assistance to disabled individuals:
- Disability Insurance Benefits
- Supplemental Security Income Benefits
- Disabled Adult and Child Benefits
- Disabled Widow/Widowers Insurance Benefits
The Social Security Administration (SSA) defines disability as:
The inabillity to engage in any substantial gainful activity by reason of any medically determinable physical or mental impairment which can be expected to last for a continuous period of not less than 12 months.
How does Social Security evaluate my claim?
he Social Security Administration uses a 5-step sequential evaluation process to determine whether or not you will receive disability benefits. This process is codified at 20 C.F.R. 404.1520.
The five steps of the five-step sequential evaluation process are:
- Does your impairment prevent you from performing Substantial Gainful Activity?
- Is your impairment severe, AND is it expected to remain severe for at least 12 months?
- Does your impairment meet or equal one of SSA's "Listing of Impairments'?
- Does your impairment prevent you from performing a job you have performed over the last 15 years that constituted substantial gainful activity?
- Does your impairment prevent you from being able to perform any other work which exists in substantial numbers in the national economy?