Criteria for Determining Disability
Some of the physical and mental criteria Social Security looks at to determine if you are disabled include the following:
- Unable to sit without severe pain for an hour;
- Unable to stand without severe pain for an hour;
- Unable to walk appreciable distances without pain;
- Unable to lift more than 8 pounds without severe pain;
- Unable to use your dominant hand due to severe pain;
- Unable to use your fingers on the dominant hand due to severe pain;
- Unable to balance without use of a cane;
- Unable to balance on flat surfaces;
- The need to lie down for much more than l.5 hours;
- The need to elevate your legs when lying down;
- The need to sleep for several hours during the day;
- Do you suffer fatigue that prevents you from doing normal household chores?
- Does your pain interfere with concentration, (e.g., watching television, reading a book, listening to music, etc.)?
- Are you unable to read or write?
Do you have any mental impairments (depression, anxiety, panic attacks, etc.) that result in the following:
- Inability to concentrate;
- Inability to persist on a task;
- Inability to pace yourself on a task;
- Inability to get along with other people, resulting in hostile behavior or withdrawal from people;
- Inability to respect people in authority;
- Memory problems;
- Inability to remember or understand simple instructions like remembering someone’s telephone number and/or following directions when lost;
- Do you have severe panic attacks weekly;
- Do you have severe side effects from medication;
- Are you unable to do simple mathematics;
- Are you taking medication for any mental impairments?
Are you seeing a mental health therapist?
- Preferably it should be someone who has or is supervised by a psychiatrist or psychologist.
- If you are not treated by mental health professionals, sometimes your mental impairments will not be given consideration by Social Security.
Please Keep Your Attorney Informed of Any and All Work Activity You Pursue