KEY TO SOCIAL SECURITY DISABILITY

It isn't enough to tell the Social Security Administration that you are disabled.  It isn't even enough for your doctor to say that you are disabled.  You must prove that you are not able to sustain a full-time job.

The government will require proof in the form of medical records over a period of time which show severe symptoms and limitations.  Your records must show severe restrictions in the kinds of activities you would be required to perform on the job:  standing, walking, lifting, kneeling, reaching, crouching or crawling.  You may also have restrictions in the use of your hands for handling or grasping.  

Restrictions don't necessarily have to be physical.  Mental restrictions can prove that you are disabled, too.  Some of the mental functions of work include the ability to
  • concentrate or focus for up to 2 hours at a time
  • follow simple directions and complete tasks
  • respond appropriately to supervisors and co-workers
  • Maintain persistence and pace for 8 hours a day
  • Make simple work related decisions
Are you limited to claiming disability for only one type of impairment, either mental or physical?  No.  You should claim every significant impairment that keeps you from working, whether mental or physical or both.  Social Security will look at all of your impairments and how together they all impact your ability to work. 

The road to disability benefits runs through your doctor's office.  Your doctor cannot declare you to be "disabled."  But your doctor's job is to provide medical records that show all of your medical impairments and how they have been treated.  Social Security must judge whether your allegations are reasonable, based on what they see in the medical records.  For example, if your doctor provides an MRI that shows two herniated disc in your lower back, it's easy to believe that you have back pain that causes problems with standing, bending or lifting.

 Medical records are the proof that we use to show that you are unable to sustain a full-time job.  Proof is key to winning benefits.

 

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