Q & A
When is a Person Considered Disabled by Social Security Disability?
Answer: Social Security evaluates disability according to a long list of laws and regulations; there is no simple answer. What constitutes disability? For Social Security disability or SSI purposes, to be considered disabled, individuals must have an impairment, either medical, psychological, or psychiatric in nature, that keeps them from being able to do substantial gainful activity (SGA, discussed below). In addition, the disabled person’s impairment must have prevented the individual from doing SGA for at least 12 months, or be expected to prevent the individual from doing SGA for at least 12 months. (This durational requirement means that while severe back conditions can qualify for Social Security disability or SSI, wrist or ankle sprains seldom qualify as disabling conditions.) Read more…
Source: NOLO.com
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