When applying for Social Security Disability benefits, many disability applicants assume that the Social Security Administration will only review the severity of the disability that the applicant is suffering from when deciding whether or not to award disability benefits. This is not actually the case. Instead of focusing only on how severe you disability is, the Social Security Administration will focus on the types of work you may still able to perform. There are a number of factors that are taken into consideration in order to help the Social Security Administration determine whether or not you are still able to work, regardless of your disabling condition.
When you apply for Social Security Disability benefits, the Social Security Administration will provide you with a Residual Functional Capacity form, also known as an RFC. This form is used to help the Social Security Administration determine the level of your exertional impairment. Exertional impairment is the term used to define how your disability prevents you from performing certain physical activities. The level of your exertional impairment will determine exactly what your physical limitations are and what types of activity you can perform on a daily basis. For example, the Social Security Administration will take into account how much you can lift, carry, pull, etc. when processing your disability claim and will use your exertional impairment to determine this fact.
When applying for Social Security Disability benefits, your doctor will be asked certain questions regarding the physical limitations that your disability places on you. These questions will include how long you are able to sit, how much you can lift and other questions pertaining to your physical condition. The answers that your doctor provides will be used when determining the level of your exertional impairment.
After all of the information has been gathered, the Social Security Administration will determine if your exertional impairment prevents you from performing any type of work in the national economy. They will then take this factor into account when determining whether or not to approve your disability claim.
