At the crux of your Social Security disability (SSD) benefits case is the determination of whether you are too injured or ill to continue your current job or any prior jobs over the past 15 years (up to five). Your Indiana Social Security disability attorney will work tirelessly to ensure that you submit the required medical records along with your application to make your case as strong as possible. There are a number of inquiries the Social Security Administration (SSA) must make in order to determine whether eligibility for Social Security disability benefits is proper.
Physical and Mental Demands
In some cases, the SSA uses the services of a vocational expert to answer complex questions regarding a claimant’s physical and mental demands on the job. Most times, however, a vocational expert is not necessary and the SSA is able to make this determination based on the claimant’s statements. An SSA regulation provides “statements by the claimant regarding past work are generally sufficient for determining the skill level, exertional demands and non-exertional demands of such work.”
In the event a vocational expert is used at your administrative law hearing, he or she will be asked to describe your current and past relevant work. This explanation, per SSA guidelines, must include information concerning the physical and mental demands of past jobs, either as the claimant actually performed them or as generally performed in the national economy.
Actual Performance vs. National Economy
In some cases, a claimant’s experience and job duties at a past job far exceed those expected in the national economy. The claimant will claim that he or she is unable to perform past work, but this could be because the job was far more demanding than what is typical. Your Indiana Social Security disability attorney will advocate that you are too disabled to perform your past work, but it is very likely that you will be found not disabled as the administrative law judge must review your work duties as required by employees in the national economy. It is of no consequence if your prior employer over-worked you or implemented additional job demands.
If you are unsure how to prepare for your upcoming disability hearing and would like to speak to a knowledgeable Indiana Social Security disability attorney, contact Martin Barnes today: 317-804-5058.