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Disability Evaluation Under Social Security
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Entire
Publication (170 pages)
General Information & Intro (12 pages) Adult Listing of Impairments (88 pages) Childhood Listing of Impairments (69 pages) |
SSA Pub. No. 64-039
ICN 468600
January 2003
Our Disability Determination Process
Most Social Security disability claims are initially processed through
a network of local Social Security Administration (SSA) field offices
and State agencies (usually called Disability Determination Services or
DDSs). Subsequent appeals of unfavorable determinations may be decided
in a DDS or by an administrative law judge in SSAs Office of Hearings
and Appeals.
Social Security representatives in the field offices usually obtain applications for disability benefits in person, by telephone, by mail, or by filing online. The application and related forms ask for a description of the claimants impairment (s), treatment sources, and other information that relates to the alleged disability. (The "claimant" is the person who is requesting disability benefits.)
The field office is responsible for verifying non-medical eligibility requirements, which may include age, employment, marital status, or Social Security coverage information. The field office then sends the case to a DDS for evaluation of disability.
The DDSs, which are fully funded by the Federal Government, are State agencies responsible for developing medical evidence and rendering the initial determination on whether or not a claimant is disabled or blind under the law.
Usually, the DDS tries to obtain evidence from the claimant’s own medical sources first. If that evidence is unavailable or insufficient to make a determination, the DDS will arrange for a consultative examination (CE) to obtain the additional information needed. The claimant’s treating source is the preferred source for the CE, but the DDS may obtain the CE from an independent source. After completing its development of the evidence, trained staff at the DDS makes the initial disability determination.
Then, the DDS returns the case to the field office
for appropriate action. If the DDS found that the claimant is disabled,
SSA completes any outstanding non-disability development, computes the
benefit amount, and begins paying benefits. If the claimant was found
not to be disabled, the file is kept in the field office in case the claimant
decides to appeal the determination.
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