Click To Call The DDS examiner assigned to your case will employ the following 5-Step Analysis to determine if you are disabled.
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How does Social Security determine if I am disabled? (5-Step Analysis)

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Social Security's Definition of Disability

"Medically determined to be 100% disabled so disabled that you cannot engage in any substantial gainful activity (SGA) for 12 consecutive months or longer."

Disability Determination Services (DDS)

The DDS examiner assigned to your case will employ the following
5-Step Analysis to determine if you are disabled:

Step Analysis
Is the claimant engaged in SGA?

Substantial Gainful Activity (SGA) is determined by Social Security, which sets the maximum amount of earnings and gifts for DIB and SSI. If the claimant does not or will not engage in SGA for 12 consecutive months, then proceed to Step 2.
Does the claimant suffer from any severe impairments? Does the medical evidence show that the claimant’s impairments more than minimally limit or restrict their physical or mental abilities to do basic work. If the impairments are not “severe,” then the claimant is not disabled. If the impairments are “severe,” then proceed to Step 3.
Do any of the claimant’s impairments meet or equal a “listing?” SSA provides a “Listing of Impairments” that sets the criteria for determining whether an individual is disabled. It is very difficult to meet or equal SSA’s Listing requirements. There are Listings for both physical and mental conditions. If you satisfy the requirements in a Listing you are found to “meet” the Listing.

If you have more than one severe condition, the conditions should be combined in determining whether the symptoms are severe enough to “equal” a Listing. For example, if the claimant suffers from both mental and physical impairments, the physical and mental limitations can be combined to equal a Listing. If the claimant meets or equals a Listing, then the claimant is disabled. If not, proceed to Step 4.
Can the claimant perform past relevant work? At this stage the claimant must show that they cannot perform any of their past jobs done within the last 15 years. If the claimant can perform past relevant, the claimant is not disabled. If not, then proceed to Step 5.
Can the claimant perform any jobs in the national or regional economy? Finally, the claimant must show that there are not any jobs in the national or regional economy that they can perform. If there are no jobs that can be performed, then the claimant is disabled. If there are jobs that could be performed, then claimant is not disabled.

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