Determining the difference between a mild and a severe disability could mean the difference between acquiring Pennsylvania disability benefits and no benefits at all. The Social Security Administration (SSA) does this by looking at various factors like substantial gainful work activity, symptoms, and limitations caused by your disability. This is done to make sure people with severe disabilities receive the benefits they need. If you have any questions, feel free to talk to Pennsylvania Disability Lawyer for help.

Why Assessing for Severe Pennsylvania Disabilities is Important

To ensure you really need the disability benefits you are applying for, the SSA goes through a rigorous process of determining the severity level of your disability. A Pennsylvania severe impairment is a mental or physical disability that prevents a person from being able to continue working at their job or any other job. This is measured with substantial gainful activity.

Pennsylvania substantial gainful activity is the amount of physical or mental work a person can do that is gainful and substantial. A person with enough substantial gainful activity is a person who can work for profit, full time, and who earns at least $1,260 a month through this work. Someone who fits this description will not be selected to receive disability benefits because the SSA will deem them fit to work for a steady income.

For your disability to be severe, you need to not fit the substantial gainful activity description, not be able to do any other job, and not be able to make up for this with any other financial resources.

How the SSA Determines Whether Your Pennsylvania Disability is Severe

The question many people ask is how the SSA determines whether your disability is severe. Many of the methods the SSA uses to measure the severity level of your disability involve Pennsylvania disability benefits evidentiary requirements. This all starts by examining all the medical and non-medical evidence you submitted with your disability claim.

Within this evidence, the SSA will look for any evidence that supports the limitations your disability causes like doctor’s notes, lab test results, lack of progress in treatment, and symptom checklists. When any evidence is lacking, the SSA will turn to a consultative examiner, a medical professional chosen by the SSA to assess the severity of your disability. This will help the SSA make the final decision on how severe your disability really is.

If the SSA deems your disability not severe enough to qualify you for benefits, but you are struggling to work, then consider reaching out to a disability lawyer for help. A disability lawyer can work with you to collect any other additional evidence you might need to prove the extent of your limitations.

Disability Attorney in Pennsylvania

Consider talking to a Pennsylvania Individual Disability Insurance Attorney if you found out your disability claim was rejected by the SSA. Contact Edelstein & Nelson today at 800-887-4529 for a consultation. Our experienced Pennsylvania disability attorneys can help you gather any other information you might need to strengthen your disability claim.