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Social Security Disability Approval ProcessThe disability approval process is not terribly complicated, although it may seem at times that there is little rhyme or reason behind the logic by which disability benefits are awarded. What follows is a short description of the disability approval process, which will hopefully help claimants or potential claimants understand the process by which social security disability claims are approved. 1. After an application is made to social security for disability benefits, the case is transferred to the state agency responsible for making disability determinations, and assigned an examiner who will ultimately evaluate the validity of the claim for social security. 2. The disability examiner sends letters requesting the pertinent medical records to all physicians and medical facilities listed by the claimant on the disability application. The disability examiner will then evaluate the records; however, it is important to note that it could take months to receive the requested records back from doctors, hospitals, or other medical professionals. 3. The examiner will use the social security impairment listing manual to evaluate the claimant’s physical or mental condition. Impairments listed in the manual have strict disability criteria, and even being diagnosed with a listed condition will not necessarily result in approval if all medical records do not back up the diagnosis. 4. If a claimant is disabled but does not match any listing in the social security listing manual, then the examiner will fill out a residual functional capacity form (RFC), indicating what tasks the claimant is capable of performing. (Note: separate RFCs are used to record physical and mental limitations.) This RFC will be used to determine the claimant’s medical vocational allowance, or how much money the claimant will receive to compensate them for wages lost due to the fact that claimant is no longer able to perform the job he or she once did, and cannot perform a different job for a comparable wage (carpal tunnel is a good example of a disability for which a medical vocational allowance would be determined). For more information on: Social Security Disability and SSI Disability.
A few words about Elder Law 
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