Do You Know Enough About Social Security Disability Benefits

The Social Security Administration adopts a five step formula to determine whether the applicant is meets the prescribed parameters of disability to be eligible for receiving social security disability benefits. The department has its own definitions about all the terms involved and the applicant has to fulfill all the parameters as per those definitions.

The first step is to determine if the individual is 'working', according to their definition. If it is found that the applicant is earning more than 'Substantial Gainful Activity' amount from his present job, the application will be summarily rejected. The Administration evaluates the work undertaken by a claimant and earnings thereof.

After satisfying the first requirement, the authorities check out whether the claimed impairment is serious enough to substantially limit your capabilities to work and earn a sustainable income. Another criterion to be fulfilled here is that the physical or mental impairment has lasted or is expected to last for a period of not less than a year. The age, education and work experience plays an important role in determining whether the claimant is capable for taking up a less demanding alternative job.

Now it is the time to find out whether the physical or mental impairment the patient is suffering is a listed one. The list consists of 150 medical conditions categorized into thirteen major systems, which they consider severe enough to impair a person from working in a job of profit. Medical professionals working in the field are well versed on the provisions of the Blue Book in which the listings are made.

The fourth step is to figure out the possibility of a person to perform some job which he had done in the past despite the impairment. If the social security administration findings are positive, the applicant would be denied benefits, if otherwise, they move on to the last step.

Here the administration tries to find out whether the person can take up an alternative work which his physical or mental condition permits. There are four determinants while looking at this possibility. The age of the applicant, his educational background, his past work experience and his physical and mental condition. Illness like arthritis are considered differentially as it is found that such diseases create a psychological barrier in the minds of people and renders then unsuitable to do even unskilled work.

Gaining knowledge about these five steps is of phenomenal importance for an applicant if he hopes to get a positive outcome during processing of his application.

If you want to know more about Social Security Disability Benefits then feel free to visit http://www.disabilityappeal.com