As part of SSA’s disability determination process, SSA will evaluate an individual’s (Claimant) work history to determine whether a Claimant can return to a Claimant’s past work or has skills that are transferrable to other work.  SSA will evaluate the Claimant’s “Past Relevant Work (PRW)” for the last 15 years. In SSA’s assessment of a Claimant’s past work, SSA will require a Claimant to complete a Work History Report (Form SSA 3369-BK).  The Work History Report is very important to the disability determination process and the Claimant should take care and time in completing the form. Tip 1: On page 1 of the Work History Report, the Job Title/Type of Business for each job held should be listed in chronological order with the most recent Job Title/Type of Business first. (Note: some people have had several job titles within the same business.  Each Job Title held by the Claimant needs

Arthritis can be caused by a number of different conditions such as the aging process, inflammation, deficiency in the autoimmune system and traumatic injury.  There are many types of arthritis such as osteoarthritis, gout, pseudo gout, rheumatoid arthritis, Reiter’s syndrome, ankylosing arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, Behcet’s disease, Whipple’s disease, Lyme disease, inflammatory bowel disease and traumatic arthritis.  Whatever the cause or condition, arthritis can cause chronic pain and limitations in the affected area of the body which may impact an individual’s ability to work and perform daily activities. SSA recognizes that an individual may be entitled to social security disability benefits based on arthritis that impacts one or more body parts or body system.  SSA has special rules that SSA uses to evaluate arthritis.  For example, if SSA determines that the impacted body part or body system meets or equals one of the Listing criteria found in SSA’s special Listing rules,

The knees are weight bearing joints.  In most jobs, standing, walking, bending, climbing and squatting are important aspects of a job.  SSA recognizes that in some cases, severe knee impairments may prevent an individual from working.  SSA also recognizes that obesity or other impairments may contribute to the severity of a knee impairment preventing an individual from working. SSA has special rules that SSA uses to evaluate whether a knee impairment warrants a finding of disability as “disability” is defined under the Social Security Act.  For example, if SSA determines that a knee impairment meets or equals the Listing criteria found in section 1.00, SSA should award benefits. Under some circumstances, an individual’s arthritic impairment may satisfy SSA’s special Medical-Vocational Guideline Rules under Step 4 and Step 5 of SSA’s 5-Step Sequential Evaluation process warranting an award of benefits. To improve an individual’s chances of winning disability benefits because of

A Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) usually results from a violent blow or jolt to the head or body.  As a result of a TBI, an individual may have physical, cognitive or mental deficits that seriously impact an individual’s functioning ability both at work and outside of work.  A person that has suffered a blow or jolt to the head should immediately seek out medical care. SSA recognizes that an individual may be unable to work and entitled to social security disability benefits because of symptoms related to a TBI.  Depending on an individual’s symptoms, SSA has special rules that SSA uses to evaluate the severity of TBI symptoms.  For example, if SSA determines that an individual’s cognitive ability is severely impaired from a TBI, SSA will evaluate whether the severity of the symptoms equals or meets Listing 12.02.  Other Listing criteria that SSA may consider is Listing 1.00, and 11.00.

There are many causes of chronic back pain that may impact an individual’s ability to work.  Some causes of chronic back pain are:  degenerative disc disease (damage to one or more vertebral discs), herniated disc (problem with one of the cushions (discs) between the individual vertebras that stack up to make the spinal column), stenosis (narrowing of a root canal), nerve root impingement (one or more of the nerve roots contacting another part of the vertebrae) and failed back surgery. SSA recognizes that an individual may be entitled to social security disability benefits based on a severe back impairment.  SSA has special rules that SSA uses to evaluate a back impairment.  For example, if SSA determines that an individual’s back impairment meets or equals one of the Listing criteria found in Section 1.00 of SSA’s special rules, SSA should award benefits.  There may be some situations in which an individual’s

As part of SSA’s disability determination process, SSA will evaluate the severity of an individual’s (Claimant) impairment(s).  One tool that SSA uses to evaluate the severity of a Claimant’s impairment(s) is the Claimant’s ability to complete activities of daily living (ADLs).  In assessing a Claimant’s ADLs, SSA will likely have a Claimant complete a questionnaire known as an “Adult Function Report” (SSA 337-BK). At several stages during the disability determination process, SSA will review with scrutiny a Claimant’s answers to this questionnaire.  Therefore, the Claimant should take care and time in answering the Adult Function Report questions. In answering the Adult Function Report questionnaire, the Claimant may wish to consider the following Tips: Tip 1 Unless a question asks for information concerning how daily activities were performed in the past, the Claimant’s answers should focus on the Claimant’s current situation. Tip 2 SSA will ask a Claimant to provide information

As part of SSA’s disability determination process, SSA will evaluate an individual’s (Claimant) work history to determine whether a Claimant can return to a Claimant’s past work or has skills that are transferrable to other work.  SSA will evaluate the Claimant’s “Past Relevant Work (PRW)” for the last 15 years. In SSA’s assessment of a Claimant’s past work, SSA will require a Claimant to complete a Work History Report (Form SSA 3369-BK).  The Work History Report is very important to the disability determination process and the Claimant should take care and time in completing the form. Tip 1: On page 1 of the Work History Report, the Job Title/Type of Business for each job held should be listed in chronological order with the most recent Job Title/Type of Business first. (Note: some people have had several job titles within the same business.  Each Job Title held by the Claimant needs

Q: Can I work after I am approved for Social Security Disability Insurance Benefits (SSDI)? Answer: This is a common question that many people have after SSA (Social Security Administration) has approved SSDI benefits.  Unfortunately, there is no simple answer.  In classic lawyer lingo, “it all depends on the facts”.  SSA will always consider income from any work in determining eligibility or continued eligibility for SSDI benefits. Eligibility for social security disability benefits. For an individual to become eligible for social security disability benefits either under the SSDI or SSI program, SSA evaluates every claim under a 5-Step Sequential Evaluation process.  Once SSA determines an individual disabled, an individual must continue to satisfy the 5-Step Sequential Evaluation for disability benefits to continue.  SSA will evaluate income from any work under Step 1 of SSA’s 5-Step Sequential Evaluation. Step 1 For an individual to be eligible for disability benefits or continued

SSA has announced that effective March 16, 2015, SSA Field Offices will be open on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday from 9:00am to 4:00pm.  On Wednesday, Field Offices are open from 9:00am to 12noon.  SSA attributes the expanded Field Office public hours of operation to SSA’s commitment to better serve the public.  Specific questions concerning an active case should be made to the local field office.  To avoid long lines, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday mornings are the best days to visit a SSA Field Office.

In 2015, the monthly Social Security (disability and retirement) benefitsand Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits of nearly 64 million Americans increased by 1.7 percent.  This cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) is effective on December 31, 2014 for SSI beneficiaries. Social Security beneficiaries received their increased payments in January 2015. You can learn more about the COLA and how it’s calculated by visiting www.socialsecurity.gov/cola.

In June 2013 the U.S. Supreme Court held in United States v Windsor, et al., that section 3 of the federal Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) was unconstitutional.  As a result of the Windsor decision, many spouses, survivors and children of same-sex couples became potentially eligible for Social Security Benefits.  SSA has been working with the Department of Justice to determine how the Windsor decision affects SSA’s programs andbenefits and to develop instructions for processing claims.

As of 2013, approximately 8.2 million individuals received SSI benefits.   The SSI program is a nationwide Federal assistance financial means tested program administered by SSA (Social Security Administration) that guarantees a minimum level of income for aged, blind, or disabled.   Prior to 1972 each state had its own version of a means tested program.  Because each state’s means tested program varied widely from state to state, there was much discrepancy from state to state regarding program eligibility and type of benefit that was awarded to an individual.   In 1972, the Social Security Act of 1935 was amended creating the SSI program.  When President Richard Nixon signed the SSI program into law on October 30, 1972,  President Nixon effectively replaced the discrepancies in the means tested programs that existed from state to state.   Upon SSI’s implementation in January 1974, the most vulnerable individuals found themselves for the