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As a disability claim applicant, you must be aware of the medical requirements that the Social Security Administration set for either the Social Security Disability (SSD) or the Supplemental Security Income (SSI) program. The requirements would serve as your guide so that your claim could be speedily approved.

The medical criteria

 The medical criteria are one of the two requirements set by the SSA; the other being the non-medical criteria. The medical criteria must be considered so that you can have a chance to be qualified for either of the two disability programs.

The medical criteria for SSD or SSI eligibility are largely based on the “disability” definition of the SSA. A person filing for disability benefits must be considered as having a severe medical condition that is long-lasting (expected to last for a year at the very least) and limits the person physically or mentally in such a way that he or she cannot do any work activity and perform work substantially.

Accordingly, your claim should consist of medical evidence that would prove that you indeed have a severe impairment that keeps you from doing any work activity. The disability examiner at your state’s Disability Determination Services (DDS) would evaluate your medical evidence by employing the sequential evaluation process. The said process involves five steps constituting five questions:

1.)    Are you working and earning a substantial and gainful income at the time you applied for benefits?

-If you do, then you are denied benefits.

-If not, your claim moves on to the next step.

2.) Do you have a severe impairment?

-Using the SSA’s definition of disability as basis, if the DDS considers your impairment as “severe,” then your claim moves on to the next step.

3.) Does your impairment meet or equal a listing in the Impairment Listing Manual?

- If your claim does match or at least equal a listing in the so-called “Blue Book,” then you are already eligible to receive benefits.

- If your claim does not, your case moves on to next question.

4.) Can you still do your past work?

- If you cannot perform your past work because of your mental or physical limitations, then your case will proceed to the final step.

5.) Can you do some other type of work?

- If you cannot, based on the DDS’s assessment that you indeed cannot perform other jobs based on your age and training, then you may be considered as “disabled.”

To attain your much-needed benefits, you must retain legal representation at once. This would increase your chances of eventually receiving disability benefits, especially if your claim is denied. You must retain the services of any Los Angeles Social Security claim lawyers for your claim to be processed quickly and successfully.




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