How Does The Social Security Administration Define Disability?

Watch this video by dedicated Buffalo disability attorney Justin Goldstein, Esq. as he explains how the Social Security Administration defines disability.

I’m often asked how Social Security defines disability. Social Security looks at whether your mental and physical impairments cause the inability to work or the inability to perform substantial gainful activity and whether these conditions last for twelve months or are expected to last for twelve months to go into more depth.

Social Security has five steps that they go through to determine whether you meet this definition of disability. First, Social Security looks at whether you’re working and if you are working. Whether you’re working low substantial gainful activity for 2022.

This amount is $1,350 per month. If you’re working below that amount or not at all. Social Security looks at your mental and physical impairments to determine whether you have any work-related limitations.

If you have work-related limitations resulting from those impairments, Social Security looks at whether you meet one of their medical listings or if you’re per se disabled under their rules. This is step three of the process where Social Security has certain medical conditions.

If you have certain medical findings and you can be found disabled just based upon what your doctors say, if your conditions do not meet those step three medical listings, Social Security then looks at your past work and whether there’s other work in the national economy that you can perform at the substantial gainful activity level.

So first, Social Security looks at whether you can perform your past work at step four. If you’re unable to perform your past work, then Social Security looks at whether there’s other work in the national economy at step five and whether you can perform that work at a level of substantial gainful activity.

Generally, we must prove that your physical and mental impairments cause the inability to work at the level of substantial gainful activity. If you have any questions on how to build a strong case, please call us, and we’ll answer all your questions and provide a free consultation.

At The Law Offices of Kenneth Hiller, PLLC, our attorneys offer skilled guidance through the process. We have successfully helped thousands of clients receive Social Security benefits in a timely manner. Contact us today for a free consultation with an experienced Buffalo social security disability attorney.