The Social Security Administration considers disability cases based on a medical and vocational (work related) criteria. The first step in proving you are disabled to earn Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) benefits is to show that you are unable to perform the type of work you used to perform, prior to being disabled. In addition to this you must show you are unable to do “other work.”
An applicant’s age and past work experience factor greatly in whether an SSDI claim is successful when considering physical disabilities, but not necessarily mental health disabilities.
The two magic ages where it is easier to show that you are disabled under Social Security’s rules are 55 and 50.
At age 55 you have to show that you cannot do your past work because of your disabilities and that you can’t perform more physically demanding work. At age 50 showing you can’t perform past work would not be as important as showing you are unable to do work where you have to walk, stand and lift a lot. Disabilities dealing with the back, neck, hips, legs, arms, ankles and feet would all fit into this category.
Those under age 50 have more of a burden to prove they are disabled when claiming physical disabilities.
If you are under age 50 you have to show that you are unable to do both past relevant work and any “other work.” This means a claimant’s ability to do work classified as sedentary, light, medium, heavy or very heavy will be considered. Social Security will consider your ability to sit, stand, walk, lift, carry, push and pull among other actions.
For more information on how Social Security considers Past Relevant Work visit: http://www.socialsecurity.gov/OP_Home/rulings/di/02/SSR82-62-di-02.html
For more information about “Other Work” Social Security considers visit: http://www.socialsecurity.gov/OP_Home/rulings/di/02/SSR83-10-di-02.html
