Step-2 of SSA’s 5-Step evaluation of a claim for disability benefits

Regardless if an individual has applied for Social Security Disability Insurance Benefits (SSDI) or Supplemental Security Insurance Benefits (SSI), the Social Security Administration uses a 5-Step sequential evaluation process to determine if an individual is disabled.  If the proof fails at any Step, except Step-3, a finding not disabled will be issued.

Step 2:  Severity

An individual has the burden to establish that the individual suffers from a medically determinable impairment (MDI) that reduces an individual’s ability to do “basic work activities”.  A MDI can be physical, mental or a combination of a mental and physical condition.