Basic Requirements For A Social Security Benefits Claim.

Generally, a worker insured under the Social Security Act is disabled if they are unable to engage in "substantial gainful activity" due to an impairment or combination of impairments either physical or mental. Your medical condition that causes the impairment must have lasted at least 12 months, or be expected to last 12 months.

Your impairment(s) must be severe enough to significantly affect your ability to work. Social Security will first check to see if any of your impairments are on a list of impairments that they maintain. If it is, you may be found disabled at this point. If not, you may still be disabled if you can show that the severity of your impairment prevents you from performing any past work you have done, and from performing any other work that exists in substantial numbers in the economy.