Social Security disability is a legal decision determining someone's ability to work. Social Security allows disability benefits based on a claimant's ability to work, not just the ability to do a current or previous job. Also, Social Security disability is not a medical decision. A claimant's (a person applying for disability benefits) medical condition is evidence used to determine whether someone can work but is not the only evidence. A claimant's age, education and work history are all factored into the disability determination process.

Medical Evidence

A claimant's medical condition is determined by medical evidence provided by doctors, hospitals, pharmacies and other health service providers. If a claimant doesn't have medical records or has not seen a doctor, Social Security will schedule and provide a medical examination. The records of this examination are forwarded to Social Security to determine the claimant's current medical condition.

Doctor Assesses Medical Evidence

Medical evidence collected by Social Security is reviewed and interpreted by doctors working for Social Security. Internists, surgeons and psychiatrists apply their specialty to examining a claimant's medical history and determining how the medical condition affects a claimant's ability to work.

Disabling Condition

Once gathering the medical evidence, Social Security considers the claimant's condition and how it affects a person's ability to work. Social Security recognizes 14 body systems when determining disability, including the musculoskeletal system, sense and speech, the respiratory system, the cardiovascular system, the digestive system, hematological disorders, skin disorders, neurological, mental disorders and the immune system.

Meet, Equal, Severe, Not Severe

The medical evidence will indicate whether the claimant's condition meets Social Security's list of impairments, meets a listing (a medical doctor will interpret the records and a claimant's particular condition will meet the listings even though not specifically included), is severe (the condition does not match a listing but is severe enough to affect the ability to work) and not severe (the claim is denied.)

Disability Determination

If a claimant's condition meets or equals the list of impairments, the claim is allowed and benefits are paid. If the condition is severe, Social Security considers the claimant's ability to work or do other work with the severe condition. If the claimant's age, education and work history show the condition will allow the claimant to work, the claim is denied. If, though, the severe condition will prevent the claimant from doing previous work or learn to do other work, the claim is allowed.

Source:

Social Security Listings of Impairments