Indiana Social Security Disability Lawyer discusses The Dictionary of Occupational Titles (DOT)
Are you curious to know if your work-related injury is accepted under The Americans with Disabilities Act? If so, an Indiana social security disability lawyer can help provide answers.
It is important to know that the disability provisions of the Social Security Act have different applications and purposes as the Americans with Disabilities act. The ADA defines the word “disability” in regards to how a person is able to perform what can be considered “major life activities.” The Social Security Act defines disability differently.
An excellent guide to assist assessing your condition in relation to your occupation is The Dictionary of Occupational Titles (DOT). The DOT describes over 12,000 different occupations. In the DOT you will find the following:
- Definitions of exertional levels
- Definitions of skill levels
- Exertional level charts (based on levels in the Medical-Vocational Guidelines)
The Social Security Administration (SSA) relies on many publications, including the DOT, even though the DOT has not been revised since the early 1990s. The reason the DOT has not been revised in the past 20 years is because the Department of Labor replaced it with the O*Net. Unfortunately, the O*Net contains very little information regarding the determination of a disability. Therefore, the SSA does not rely on the O*Net when it comes to making disability decisions.
Our dedicated Indiana Social Security disability lawyer is attentive in providing personally tailored solutions to the unique disability dilemmas and financial struggles that our clients face. We guide our clients through the process in an effort to ease some of the difficulties that come across during proceedings.
For more information regarding The Americans with Disabilities Act and whether you qualify for disability, contact Indiana social security disability lawyer Martin Barnes at 317-804-5058.