2011 Social Security Disability Application Requirements

Do you have questions about 2011 Social Security Disability Application requirements? According to the Social Security Administration (SSA), approximately 30% of American workers will require social security disability benefits before retirement. Yet more than 60% of people who apply for social security disability benefits get denied. You must meet basic requirements to receive social security and be able to provide sufficient documentation. What affects your chances of receiving social security, and what steps can you take to ensure that you receive social security disability benefits?

Social Security 2011 Disability Application

It is expected that the trend of longer waits to received Social Security Disability benefits will continue into 2011. The Social Security system is currently strained and it is getting worse. It is more important than ever to ensure your documentation is correct and to the standards of the SSA. The rising number of disability applicants has resulted in some people not receiving benefits for 2 years, or more. A Social Security lawyer can help you work through the Social Security law. By contacting an experienced Social Security lawyer your 2011 disability application has better chances of being approved and approved sooner.

The below graphs shows SSA application outcomes over a 10 year period. You'll notice several importants trends:

• Technical Denials (red): This number has been increasing at a dramatic pace. Too often disability applications are denied for technical reasons
• Pending Final Decision (black): Since 2002-2003 you'll observe the overall percentage of applications in the "pending final descision"stage has been increasing dramatically. The number of applications from this time through present day 2011 has also been increasing at a dramatic pace--the SSA hasn't been able to keep up.
• Awards (Hearsings and Appeals Council and Reconsideration): The percentage of applications with this outcome has been decreasing over the last few years. Your chances of winning benefits in court with a disability lawyer are much better than by defending yourself at this point.
• Initial Awards (dark blue): Winning at the intital award stage (disability application stage) is ideal. Winning disability benefits at this stage means you'll get your benefits the fastest way possible. A disability lawyer can help work with you on documenting your medical evidence (impairments and symptoms) into your 2011 Social Security Disability application.

Earnings requirements: Below are definitions of the Social Security Administration's 2011 requirements for the “recent work” test and the “duration of work” test.

1. Recent work test: This is based on the age at which you were first disabled. Workers are split into 3 age brackets: younger than 24, 24 to 31, over 31 years old.
2. Duration of work test: This test shows that you have worked long enough to receive social security benefits. In general, you must have worked between 1.5 years and 6 years. If you have are of age 50 or better, you may have had to work 7-10 years to receive social security disability benefits.

Who decides if I am qualified for 2011 Social Security Disability benefits?

The Social Security Disability Administration will review your 2011 disability application for social security benefits. In the process, the Social Security Administration will consider your:

• Employment history: The SSA will check whether you have worked enough years to qualify
• Current work activities
• Medical evidence and disability documentation from your doctors and hospitals
• Earnings: If you are working and earning more than a certain amount each month, the SSA will not consider you disabled. The current amount is approximately $13,560 if you are under retirement age (66-67 years old). If you are at full retirement age or older, there is no limit on your earnings.
• Medical condition: To be considered disabled and receive benefits, your medical condition must limit your ability to do basic work activities (walking, sitting, and remembering) for at least one year.
• Ability to do another type of work: If you cannot do the work you did in the past before your disability, the SSA looks to see if you would be able to do other work. If you can do other work, the state agency will decide that you are not disabled.

List of Disability Impairments - SSA

If your medical condition is on the SSA’s list of impairments, the SSA considers you disabled by law. The medical conditions on the list of impairments are:

1. Musculoskeletal system (severe burns, fractures, amputations, disorders of the spine, reconstructive surgery, dysfunction of joints)
2. Special Senses and speech (blindness, hearing impairments, loss of speech)
3. Respiratory System (chronic pulmonary insufficiency, asthma, cystic fibrosis, infections of the lung, Bronchiectasis, lung transplant)
4. Cardiovascular System (chronic heart failure, recurrent arrhythmias, heart transplants, heart disease, peripheral arterial disease, and Cardiac Obstructive Pulmonary Disease)
5. Digestive System (gastrointestinal hemorrhaging, chronic liver disease, inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), short bowel syndrome (SBS), liver transplant)
6. Genitourinary System (impairment of renal function, Nephrotic syndrome)
7. Hematological Disorders (chronic anemia, sickle cell disease, chronic thrombocytopenia, coagulation defects, Myelofibrosis, chronic granulocytopenia, aplastic anemias)
8. Skin Disorders (Bullous disease, chronic infections of the skin, Dermatitis, genetic photosensitivity disorders, burns)
9. Endocrine System (thyroid disorders, hyper and hypo-parathyroidism, diabetes insipidus or mellitus)
10. Impairments that affect multiple body systems (non-mosaic Down syndrome)
11. Neurological (epilepsy, brain tumors, Parkinsons Disease, Cerebral Palsy, spinal cord or nerve root lesions, Multiple Sclerosis, Anterior Poliomyelitis, Muscular Dystrophy)
12. Mental Disorders (Schizophrenia, mental retardation, Somatoform disorders, Autistic disorder)
13. Malignant Neoplastic Diseases (soft tissue tumors, Lymphoma, Leukemia, Multiple Myeloma, skeletal system carcinoma, Maxilla)
14. Immune System Disorders (Systemic lupus erythematosus, Systemic vasculitis, systemic sclerosis, Polymyostis, undifferentiatied and mixed connective tissue disease, inflammatory arthritis)

_{Source: Source: http://www.ssa.gov/disability/professionals/bluebook/AdultListings.htm}

Contact Berry & Associates - Social Security Disability Lawyers - Free Evaluation

Looking for a Social Security Attorney? If you have been denied and need to appeal for disability benefits, or want to apply for Social Security Disability, we can help. Contact us.

Tell us about your disability:

• By Phone: 1-800-507-4774
• Online: free disability case evaluation