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Overview of SSDI program
definition of disability
unable to work
What is Social Security Disability?
The SSDI program and the SSI program (collectively known as Social Security disability) is a federal government program that issues cash benefits to people under retirement age who meet SSA’s definition of disability. Most people are aware that the Social Security Administration is a part of the federal government and that it pays older, retired people monthly checks. What you may not realize, however, is that the Social Security Administration also issues monthly checks to disabled children and disabled adults less than 62 years of age.
In order to be eligible for Social Security disability, you must be "disabled." For Social Security purposes, a person is "disabled" if he/she has a medical problem that prevents that person from performing “substantial gainful activity.” Substantial activity can be employment, volunteer work or even school. In addition, the medical problem must be severe enough that it has lasted or will last at least a year. Social Security disability does not pay for short term problems.
As a practical matter, I can tell you that Social Security disability is primarily about a person's ability to work. Stated another way, in order to prove that you are disabled, you often need to prove that you cannot work even a simple, unskilled job. For example, imagine yourself working as an packer, where you sit at a table and pack items in a box; imagine yourself as a cashier at a parking lot; imagine yourself as a nighttime security system monitor. Could you perform one of these very simple, low stress, low exertion jobs 8 hours a day, 5 days a week?
As you might expect, your claim that you could not perform even a simple, unskilled job is not enough to win a Social Security disability case. You will need an opinion from a doctor to back you up along with supporting medical records. My job, as your Social Security attorney, is fairly simple. I have to explain why you cannot work and gather evidence (medical records, employment records) that identify specific job limitations. To put it another way, my job is to “translate” your medical problems into very specific work activity limitations.
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