How does the Social Security Administration assess disability?

The Social Security Administration (SSA) assesses disability using an evaluation process called the 5-step Sequential Evaluation. During this process, the SSA will take into account the medical condition of the person as well as their age, education, past work experience, and any other functional limitations they may have. First, the SSA will assess the severity of the disability by determining if the person is able to continue performing the type of work they had prior to becoming disabled. If so, then the person is not considered disabled and the SSA will deny their claim. Second, the SSA will consider whether the person’s disability is severe enough to limit their ability to do any kind of work. The SSA will refer to medical evidence and functional limitations as a basis for this assessment. Third, the SSA will check to see if the person’s disability meets or equals a listing in the Listing of Impairments. To meet or equal a listing, the person’s medical condition must match the criteria of the listing. Fourth, the SSA will assess the person’s residual functional capacity (RFC) to determine if the person can do any other type of work. The RFC is a description of what the person can still do despite their disability. Fifth, the SSA will consider the person’s age, education, past work experience, and any other work-related skills to determine if the person can do any other type of work. If the person cannot do other work due to their disability, they will be considered disabled and eligible for disability benefits.

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