This segment discusses the topic of social security disability eligibility; in other words, the factors that determine whether or not an individual may be eligible to collect and draw disability benefits through either the social security disability or SSI disability program.
At all levels of the disability claim system, decisions will really hinge on two aspects: a claimant’s history of medical treatment, and a claimant’s work history. The medical treatment history will be substantiated by the medical records that are obtained by the social security administration and, possibly, supplied by the applicant. The claimant’s work history will be substantiated largely by information provided by the claimant as to the types of jobs they have worked during the prior fifteen year period. Medical records will allow the decision-maker on a disability application or disability appeal to determine a claimant’s level of physical and/or mental functioning, while the description of a claimant’s job history will allow the decision-maker to use the assessment of functioning (known as residual functional capacity) to determine whether or not the claimant may return to their past work, or perform some type of other work.
Disability Audio is produced by former Social Security Disability Claims Examiner, Tim Moore. For additional information and tips on how the disability system works, proceed to more resources on the
Social Security Disability Resource Page.
