The assistance of an experienced disability attorney may help navigate the typically long and complicated process of applying for disability benefits. For 113 years, Powell, Zero, Mundy has obtained benefits for disabled working Pennsylvanians and effectively assist clients throughout the entire disability claims process. The consultation is FREE!

The Social Security Act (the “Act”) and Social Security Administration (SSA) have administrative regulations that contain and prescribe rules for an individual to establish that he or she is “disabled” under the Act. This definition and criteria may differ from those used and applied in other public and private disability programs.

Disability is defined as the inability to engage in any substantial gainful activity (SGA) by reason of any medically determinable physical or mental impairment(s) which may be expected to result in death or which has lasted or may be expected to last for a continuous period of not less than 12 months.

The SSA requires evidence that establishes the existence of an impairment. Specifically, “objective medical evidence” from an “acceptable medical source” must establish that a claimant has a medically determinable impairment. Thus, each applicant is responsible for providing medical evidence demonstrating the existence of an impairment(s) and the severity of the impairment(s).

It is important to know that while the Social Security Administration (SSA), with an applicant’s permission, will help obtain medical evidence from the worker’s medical providers who have evaluated, examined, or treated the worker for the impairment(s). An experienced disability attorney may help expedite this process with careful planning before the fact.