The 5-Step Disability Evaluation Under Social Security

When health problems upend your life and you find yourself unable to work, figuring out what to do feels overwhelming.

As if doctor visits, undergoing treatment, picking up prescriptions and getting through your day with physical or mental limitations weren’t enough, you have worries about your future and your family now that your paychecks have stopped.

Social Security Disability benefits can provide the financial help you need to cover medical bills and daily expenses. They’re a stabilizing lifeline letting you focus on your health.

But to win them, you have to go through the process, and it’s no secret how hard that is. The research and paperwork are immense, and there’s no guarantee your efforts will pay off. Social Security denies about 65% of initial applicants in Texas.

The best tool to win benefits is information. Understanding the process can help you prepare for each step, give you the best chance to succeed, and manage your expectations.

When you apply, Social Security puts your application through a 5-step evaluation process to determine whether you meet its definition of “disabled.” This means more than proving you’re sick or hurt. You have to show how your impairment makes working for a living impossible for at least 12 months.

An experienced disability lawyer can be invaluable as you apply for Social Security Disability benefits. The Texas disability attorneys at Morgan Weisbrod help you find the right forms, collect the right evidence, and anticipate the questions Social Security will ask.

In Dallas, Fort Worth, Houston and all over Texas, we’ve been helping hardworking people facing life-changing challenges for 50 years. We can be there for you.

The 5 Questions Social Security Asks to Evaluate Your Disability Application

When Social Security receives your application, its administrators put it through 5 tests to determine whether you’re eligible to receive disability benefits.

Remember, it’s essential that you prove you can’t work because of your condition.

Are you working? It’s best not to be working at all when you apply for benefits. You could be working a limited amount, but any work might sink your disability claim. At Morgan Weisbrod, we advise clients not to work while trying to get Social Security Disability. Social Security will refer you to Texas Disability Determination Services (DDS) who will determine eligibility of your medical condition. They’ll handle the next few steps.
How severe is your condition? DDS will look at how your impairment impacts your ability to do everyday tasks, such as standing, sitting, lifting or thinking clearly. They will also look for evidence in your medical records that your condition is expected to last at least 12 months.
Is your condition in Social Security’s “blue book” of impairments? Social Security keeps a list of qualified conditions. If your diagnosis matches any of these, that can be a guide to your claim. Having a condition on the list doesn’t mean you’ll automatically be approved. You still have to prove the severity of your case. And even if your health issue isn’t on the list, don’t give up. Social Security also considers the overall impact of your symptoms, and if you meet the conditions under step two, you still have a chance to receive benefits.
Can you do your previous job? At this point, Social Security will weigh whether the severity of your condition allows you to do work you’ve done before.
Can you do any other job? If you can’t do your old job, Social Security will ask if you can do other work even with your medical condition. They will factor in your age, your experience, and any transferable skills to figure out if it’s possible you could adapt to other work.

If Social Security decides you don’t qualify, that’s not the end of the road. You can always appeal.

At Morgan Weisbrod, we’ve seen applications run aground for every kind of reason during the evaluation process.

And we can help in two major ways: If you come to us at the beginning, we can help you avoid mistakes that derail your application. If you come to us with your denial letter, we can chart a course to give you the best chance of securing benefits.

Give us a call and we can evaluate your case free of charge. In fact, it costs you nothing until you win benefits. So let us help you find the way to a more stable and peaceful life.

Start with a FREE disability claim consultation.

What to Expect During the 5-Step Social Security Disability Evaluation Process

The evaluation process is long, and you’re likely to find yourself anxiously waiting for Social Security’s decision.

Our disability lawyers often see it taking 12 to 18 months for Social Security to decide on initial applications in Texas.

Some peace of mind comes with knowing what Social Security is doing once you submit your application. There is even more when you’re confident you did everything you could to anticipate and answer all their questions from the start.

That confidence comes from having a skilled disability attorney guiding you, especially one who knows Texas and takes the time getting to know you.

At Morgan Weisbrod, we’ll meet with you in person and evaluate your case. We can go through your work history, your medical history, and the impact your medical issues have had on your quality of life and ability to work.

We will even help you collect the records you need, talk to your doctors, and review your paperwork to make sure every detail is covered.

We know many of the administrators, doctors, and hearing judges who are likely to get involved with your case in Texas, and we know what they’re looking for when they’re ticking through each of the 5 evaluation questions.

Our relationship won’t end when you apply for benefits. Our Texas disability attorneys handle every step of an appeal.

We’re Texas lawyers for hard-working, everyday people.

We’ll handle your case with the dignity and respect you deserve, and we will be by your side for every single step you have to go through.

Talk to Morgan Weisbrod.

Comments are closed.