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Do you know what the Social Security Administration (SSA) actually looks for when it decides whether a condition is disabling? Many people assume the SSA simply looks for a diagnosis, but the process is far more involved than that. Here’s what you need to know about how Social Security evaluates the severity of your condition.
The SSA’s Five-Step Evaluation Process for Disability Claims
The SSA uses a five-step process to evaluate every disability claim, and it can approve or deny your claim at any point during this process:
- Step 1 focuses on whether you’re currently engaging in “substantial gainful activity.”
- Step 2 focuses on whether your condition is “severe.”
- Step 3 focuses on whether your impairment meets or equals a listed condition.
- Step 4 focuses on whether you can still do any work you’ve done in the past despite the limitations of your condition.
- Step 5 focuses on whether you can adjust to new work despite your limitations.
Each step builds on the last, and a denial at Step 2 doesn’t have to mean the end of your claim.
What “Severe” Really Means to the SSA
As far as the SSA is concerned, a condition is considered “severe” if it significantly limits your ability to perform basic work-related activities for at least 12 consecutive months. Those basic activities include physical functions like lifting, standing, sitting, and walking, as well as mental abilities like following instructions and responding appropriately to supervisors and coworkers.
Under SSA policy, Social Security can only find an impairment “not severe” if it has no more than a minimal effect on your ability to work. It’s worth noting that a combination of multiple conditions that each seem minor on their own can meet the severity threshold collectively.
How the SSA Evaluates Your Symptoms
Symptoms like chronic pain, debilitating fatigue, and other symptoms can significantly limit your ability to work, but the SSA won’t simply take your word for it. Instead, it uses a two-part process to evaluate your symptoms.
First, it determines whether a medically determinable impairment exists that could reasonably explain your reported symptoms. Then, it assesses how intense, persistent, and limiting those symptoms are based on all available evidence. That includes evidence like your medical records, your treatment history, the medications you take, and your daily activities.
A strong medical record that consistently documents your symptoms can give the SSA what it needs to take them seriously.
How Medical Evidence Can Make or Break Your Claim
Medical evidence is at the center of every disability determination. At Step 2 in its disability determination process, the SSA evaluates objective medical findings to determine whether your condition meets the severity threshold.
If your claim clears Step 2, the SSA then conducts an RFC assessment to evaluate how much you can still do on a sustained basis despite your limitations. Your treating doctor’s opinions and RFC forms are key here, particularly when those opinions are well-supported by clinical findings. Gaps in your records or poorly documented symptoms can result in a denial, even if your condition is genuinely disabling.
Why Michigan Disability Claimants Choose Grech Law Firm
For 25 years, I’ve helped Michigan residents pursue the disability benefits they’ve earned, and I’ve seen how often claims succeed or fail based on the quality of the medical evidence. I’m here to take that burden off your shoulders completely.
I work directly with your doctors to gather the records, provider opinions, and complete RFC forms your claim requires, and I submit everything to the SSA on your behalf. When you work with me, you won’t have to spend your time chasing down paperwork or wondering whether your case file is complete.
Take the First Step Toward the Benefits You’ve Earned
If you’re ready to find out whether your condition qualifies for Social Security disability benefits, I’d like to hear from you. I offer free initial consultations to disability claimants throughout Michigan, and I’m ready to review your situation and tell you where you stand. Contact Grech Law Firm today to get started.