Grid Factors and How They Can Affect Your SSDI Claim

Why is it easier for a 50-year-old person to apply for a social security disability to gain its benefits compared to a much younger person? Generally, that’s because the Social Security Administration believes that it is harder for older folks to learn a new job skill or even find a new job. This is something that they refer to as “vocational adjustment.”

Now, to account for such difficulty and help the Social Security Administration to better understand how hard it is for a person at a certain age to make vocational adjustments, they utilize grid rules that help them decide disability claims. Such grid rules are one such way for someone to be approved for disability benefits through a medical-vocational allowance. However, such grids are only used if it has been determined that a person cannot do a job that the individual has already done in the past.

That said, let’s delve deeper into these grid rules and see the factors in it that may affect your claim:

Grid Factors That Can Affect Your Social Security Disability Claim

The grid system consists of a series of factors that the SSA will consider when determining if you are eligible for benefits. These factors include your age, education, and work experience.

Your age is one of the first things that the SSA will look at when considering your claim. If you are younger than 50, you will need to show that you are unable to do any work that you have done in the past. If you are over 50, the SSA will consider your age when determining what kind of work you can still do.

Your education is another factor that the SSA will consider. If you have a high school diploma or GED, you will have a better chance of getting benefits than if you do not have a high school diploma or GED.

Your work experience is also a factor that the SSA will consider. If you have worked in a job for at least ten years, you will have a better chance of getting benefits than if you have not worked in a job for at least ten years.

The SSA will also consider your medical condition when determining if you are eligible for benefits. You will need to have a medical condition that is expected to last for at least one year or result in death.

If you meet all of the requirements of the grid system, you will be considered disabled and eligible for benefits. Of course, there are still many factors to be considered here, but these are just some of the major ones that will affect your claim greatly.

Conclusion

The grid system that the Social Security Administration uses can get complex quickly, depending on your history, age, and the like. And, with ever-changing rules and regulations, such a grid may also change, making it harder for one to determine what they’re eligible for. As such, if you have to go about making a claim, we always recommend working with professional attorneys that specialize in Social Security disability. This helps to ensure that when you do make a claim, you can get the most out of it.

Avard Law specializes in personal injury, veterans’ benefits, and various other focuses to help clients get the compensation they deserve in South Florida. If you are looking for attorneys for social security disability, work with us today!