If the determination is made that you can adjust to other work, your claim will be denied. If you’re still working when you apply for Social Security disability, the SSA will automatically reject your claim. You'll never pay anything up-front. To start, the Social Security Administration looks at an individual’s work activity. The treatment of my condition by a medical specialist had been interrupted, because I didn’t have health insurance. If you are working and you make more than a certain amount ($1,130 per month in 2016), then the SSA will determine you can engage in “substantial gainful activity” (SGA). STEP 5: Can you do any other type of work? If you can’t adjust to any other work, your claim will be approved. Don’t think you can afford an attorney? To decide whether you are disabled, we use a five-step process. These 5 evaluation steps are about you, your work history, and your disability. It’s a sequential method, meaning the steps are followed in order. We know what the SSA is looking for and how to present the information in a way that will most benefit you. If you are applying for Social Security disability (SSDI) you can apply by phone, mail, on-line or in person. I continued working for many years, even though the disability was severe. How long do you have to be disabled before you can get Disability benefits? If you are not working or make less than $1,130 per month, Social Security’s decision-makers go to Step 2 of the Disability Determination process. Here are the steps for how your claim will be decided by Social security. Rarely, … To determine this, the SSA will send your file to the Disability Determination Service (DDS) agency in your state for a medical review. The case managers are on top of their game and know exactly what they are doing. Your impairments must interfere with basic work-related activities for you to be considered disabled. Disability Application Process Initial Application. This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. STEP 3: Is your condition found in the list of disabling impairments? Applications are taken at the local Social Security Administration offices. The 5 Stages of the Social Security Disability Process. If you cannot do the work you did in the last 15 years, Social Security looks to see if you can do any other type of work. The federal government pays us when the case is over – and only if we win. FIVE Steps to Your Social Security Disability Determination 1. Call (413) 567-5600 for a free case evaluation. The decision combines your medical records and your work history with Social Security’s complex regulations and policies. Links to Listings. Call 855-702-9061. If you are working, and your earnings averaged more than $1,260 per month last year (during the year 2020), that is considered Substantial Gainful Activity, and Social Security probably won’t consider you to be disabled. If at any step in the process the SSA’s decision-makers decide you are disabled ― or not ― the evaluation ends. He prepared a summary of all my treatment records going back many years, and he obtained a report from my doctor that... Read more ». Here are the five steps: First, the SSA will check to see if you are working. Step 1: When to Apply for Social Security Disability. SGA or substantial gainful activity is a monetary amount of earnings the Social Security sets each year as a self-supporting wage amount. 1. I live hundreds of miles away. © 2020 All Rights Reserved. The first step, once you decide that you are going to apply for Social Security Disability, is to obtain and review the Adult Disability Starter Kit. Your physical and/or mental impairment must be determined (proved) by medical evidence. If your condition is not on the list, Social Security has to decide if it is of equal severity to an impairment on the list. Attorney Roberts helped... Read more ». What does “substantial gainful activity” (SGA) mean? The field office then sends the case to a DDS for evaluation of disability. If your condition is on the list and meets the criteria, you will be awarded benefits. You may obtain applications from your local social security office, or by visiting the disability section of the Social Security Administration website. If it is not, we go to the next step. McDonald Law Firm . If you cannot do any other kind of work, your claim will be approved. I have DDS which is Dissolving Disc Disease in my lower lumbar and I have had spinal surgery for that; I’ve had surgery on my leg as well and I had hip surgery. “Substantial Gainful Activity” Monthly Earnings Amount. Most Social Security disability claims are initially processed through a network of local Social Security Administration (SSA) field offices and State agencies (usually called Disability Determination Services or DDSs). I have a close family member who lives in Attorney Roberts area. Call us today at 855-702-9061 or just fill out the contact form on this page. (The amount fluctuates each year.) The examiner will consider your condition, age, education, past work experience and any transferable skills you may have. STEP 2: Is your condition severe? It’s a sequential method, meaning the steps are followed in order. They may also ask that you see one of their doctors. What are the Social Security Disability requirements? Social Security Disability Reconsideration. The disability claims process take you down the path of the 5 evaluation steps. Think again. In this stage of the process you will be filling out your initial application and providing the SSA with the documentation necessary to process your claim for Social Security Disability benefits. The first thing you need to do is apply for Social Security disability benefits. If it is, your claim is approved. Getting the medical evidence delivered directly to the person who is deciding your claim is an important part of the service that we provide to you when you become a client. Once you’re approved there’s a lot less stress. If at any step in the process the SSA’s decision-makers … Your best chance of meeting Social Security’s strict criteria is to let an experienced Disability attorney handle your claim. Need help filling out your Disability application? If you can, you are not considered disabled and your claim will be denied. The judge told us the medical records were complete and my claim was allowed. Let us handle the Disability process for you. Longmeadow, Massachusetts 01106. physical and/or mental impairment must be determined (proved) by medical evidence. During the initial stage you will submit your application to the SSA along with all of your medical evidence and supporting documentation outlined in the Blue Book . Springfield, Massachusetts Social Security Disability At Step 1, the SSA determines whether a claimant is working at the Substantial Gainful Activity level. Your Lawyer or representative can also file your application. This can be done by beginning an application for disability benefits on SSA.org or by visiting your local Social Security Administration Office for an application. If it does, the claims examiner moves to Step 3. For a free Social Security Disability case evaluation. If your condition is not on the list or doesn’t meet the SSA’s criteria, the Disability claims examiner goes to Step 4. Listed below are frequently asked questions about Step 4 and Step 5 of the process. The process is used for both SSI and SSDI, and everyone gets the same consideration. Social Security has a listing of impairments for each of the major body systems. Each step is a question geared to determine the significance and measure of your impairment, as it affects your ability to work full time. Next, a Disability claims examiner will evaluate your case to determine if your impairment interferes with basic work-related activities, such as walking, standing, lifting, pushing, carrying, or speaking. This means that you have worked and earned money during the time prior to your disability. It is important to keep in mind that 80% of people are denied during the initial claim level, therefore, it is encouraged to continue on in the Social Security appeals process. Ready to apply? The first step of the appeal process is the reconsideration level. Fort Worth Texas 76107, Disclaimer, Privacy Policy, Site Terms & SMS Opt-In, Surprising Mental Health Facts That’ll Get Your Attention. Social Security averages your income when determining Substantial Gainful Activity. whether a person has the ability to engage in SGA. If the claims examiner finds you can’t do any past work, they move to Step 5. To answer the 5 questions, Social Security has to review the reports from all of the doctors, hospitals, and clinics that have treated you. Your disability decision will be made properly as soon as Social Security gets the evidence it needs to answer all 5 questions in your favor. What medical conditions qualify for Social Security Disability? If you are in need of an SSDI attorney at any crucial step of the social security disability process, please contact Linay Haubert R.N., Esq of the Doylestown office of High Swartz law firm at 215-345-8888. The “Substantial Gainful Activity” Monthly Earnings Amount for 2021 is $1,310. One less thing to do and I can concentrate on getting myself better. It was horrible! Use the five-step sequential evaluation process detailed in DI 22001.001D in this section to determine if a claimant is entitled to disability benefits. The Social Security Administration (SSA) uses a five-step sequential evaluation process to evaluate Social Security disability applications and determine whether the claimant is entitled to receive disability benefits. At McDonald Law Firm, we will gather the necessary information, prepare a solid claim and submit it on your behalf. Social Security Disability is determined through a series of five steps. The first four stages are within the Social Security Administration, and the last stage is independent of Social Security. Because the claims examiner is primarily basing their decision on information in your application and medical records, it’s not uncommon for claims to get denied due to mistakes, omissions or incomplete information. It’s what we do. If the claims examiner agrees that your condition prohibits you from working past jobs, he or she will next consider whether you can adjust any other type of work. After an application for disability benefits is made to social security, the case is transferred to the state agency responsible for making disability determinations, DDS. Social Security definition of disability and the five-step process An attorney can help to explain the somewhat complex law and procedure that govern your application for SSDI or … The five steps used in the sequential evaluation process are: Step 1 - Social Security must determine if an individual is working and if they are still working are the working at the SGA limit or over. We’re here to help. But all five steps may not be needed in your case. Step one is: “Have you worked before and are you working now?” What that means is Social Security requires you to have worked five out of the past 10 years on a regular basis in order to be eligible to even apply for Social Security Disability benefits. I will explain to Social Security how the combined effects of your impairments prevent you from working. Substantial: Work that requires significant physical or mental activities. Information about any medication you are taking is also important. If it does, your claim will be considered further, and we move on to Step 5. Then, the DDS returns the case to the field office for appropriate action. The Social Security Disability claims process can have many steps depending on how many times your claim is rejected and you appeal. Once your application is filed, it will take about four to six months for Social Security to make a decision about your eligibility for benefits. This can be filed at your local Social Security office, over the phone or online. Assuming you meet the qualification requirements and you indeed do have a severe enough disability, the next step in the process is to actually fill out an application for benefits. If for some reason your claim gets denied, we will take it to the next level and appeal the decision. When you start the SSI application process, there are three ways to file your claim with the Social Security Administration. I missed a Disability appeal deadline. My family member has cognition problems and physical health problems. STEP ONE: Are you performing substantial gainful activity (working)? I worked with Attorney Roberts on a case involving what is often described as an “invisible disability.” The Claimant was severely impaired, but the disability was not understood or believed by the Social Security personnel who reviewed the written treatment records, and the Claimant’s testimony. It’s that simple. The first step in the Social Security Disability claim process is to file an application for disability benefits. They may request medical evidence or other additional information. Call 855-702-9061. 1200 Converse Street The disability decision may be made with a denial of your claim at Step 1, 2, or 5, or an award of benefits at step 3 or step 5. Suite 230 . These 5 evaluation steps are about you, your work history, and your disability. During the third step of the Disability Determination process, the claims examiner will refer to an impairment listing manual ― called the Blue Book ― that contains more than 100 physical and mental conditions that qualify for Disability as long as certain criteria are met. must have lasted or be expected to last for a continuous period of at least 12 months, or be expected to result in your death. Took a complicated case, followed through and won for us. 3100 West 7th Street . There is a “duration requirement” that says your impairment(s) must have lasted or be expected to last for a continuous period of at least 12 months, or be expected to result in your death. Your claim will be denied. The Social Security Administration (SSA) uses a five-step Disability determination process to decide whether or not you qualify for benefits. Review All 4 Steps in the SSI Application Process Step 1: Initiating Your Claim. He worked with the nurse, social worker, and doctor’s offices, to obtain documentation of... Read more ». Social Security must look at the combined effects of every impairment. STEP 1: Are you working? The law requires the people at Social Security to consider all of the evidence, and all of your impairments, when they make a disability decision. This site uses cookies to enhance your experience, to display customized content in accordance with your browser settings, and to help us better understand how you use our website. Ensuring these steps are conducted properly and quickly will ensure your benefits are received as quickly as possible. Based on these findings, an individual may or may not pass the first step of the approval process. Now what? Overall, there are five stages, each with its own format, rules, and decision makers. If it is not on the list, but your ailment is of equal severity to another condition on the list, you will be approved for benefits. equal severity to an impairment on the list. There were times I... Read more », After my first application for disability was denied by Social Security, I called Attorney Roberts, and he started working on my case. When you apply for Social Security disability benefits, the Social Security Administration (SSA) wants to know whether your medical disorder is severe enough for you to qualify for benefits. SSA evaluates income and time at work to see if earnings average more or less than the established Substantial Gainful Activity (SGA) amount. When your first apply for disability benefits, you complete an Initial application. Social Security Regulations explain “substantial gainful activity” and whether work activity is not gainful activity, or is done under special conditions or is an unsuccessful work attempt. 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