Wilson: Adult disability requirements listed

Posted: Sunday, July 28, 2002

Question: What are the disability requirements for an adult?

Answer: The definition of disability in the Social Security law is a strict one. To be eligible for benefits, a person must be unable to do any kind of substantial gainful work because of physical or mental impairment (or a combination of impairments), which is expected either to last at least 12 months, or to end in death.

If, because of a medical condition, a person cannot do the work that he or she performed in the past, then age, education, and past work experience must be considered in determining whether the person can do other work. If the evidence shows that the person can do other work, even if it involves different skills or pays less than their previous work, he or she cannot be considered disabled for Social Security purposes. Here are the steps used to determine if one is disabled.

Are you working? If you are and your earnings average more than $780 a month, you generally cannot be considered disabled.


Is your condition found in the list of disabling impairments? We maintain a list of impairments for each of the major body systems that are so severe they automatically mean you are disabled. If your condition is not on the list, we have to decide if it is of equal severity. If it is, your claim is approved. If it is not, we go to the next step.

Can you do the work you did previously? If your condition is severe, but not at the same or equal severity as an impairment on the list, does the impairment interfere with your ability to do the work you did in the last 15 years? If it does not, your claim will be denied. If it does, your claim will be considered further.

Can you do any other type of work? If you cannot do the work you did in the last 15 years, we then look to see if you can do any other type of work. We consider your age, education, past work experiences and transferable skills. We review the job demands of occupations as determined by the Department of Labor. If you cannot do any other kind of work, your claim will be approved. If you can, your claim will be denied.

Question: How do I correct an error in my record of earnings?

Answer: Only you know all the places and times you worked and how much you earned.

If your record is not complete, please let us know right way so that we can help you correct it.

Call us toll-free at (800) 772-1213. Representatives are available to help you from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. every business day.

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