Many social security disability misconceptions are rampant these days. Today, we are going to discuss four of them.
Common Misconception #1– “I am disabled because I cannot do the job I did in the past”.
To receive Social Security Disability (SSD) payments, you have to show that you cannot do the jobs you did in the past and that there are NO OTHER jobs you could do. However, when looking at “other” jobs, the Social Security Administration (SS will only consider full-time jobs…jobs that are 40 hours a week.
Common Misconception #2 – “No one will hire me due to my medical conditions…therefore, I am disabled.”
When the SSA analyzes your claim, they only care about whether you could perform the job. They do not care if someone will actually hire you. They only look at what the job duties are and then what your abilities are. If you are capable of performing the job responsibilities, regardless of whether or not you are hired for the position, you will be found to be not. Many people say they cannot get a job because they are an insurance risk and no one will hire them. While this may be true, it does not matter to the SSA.
Common Misconception #3 – “I can’t perform any work located near me…therefore, I am disabled.”
Since Social Security is a federal program, they look at the nation as a whole. While they try to look at regions within the country, usually that means the state you live in and maybe even states bordering yours, the SSA does not care if jobs are available and geographically near you. They only care if there are jobs “somewhere” that you could perform. Many people get upset when they hear this and ask if the government “simply expects them to pick up and move.” Unfortunately, yes they do.
Common Misconception #4 – “My doctor says I cannot work…therefore I am disabled”.
A doctor’s report/opinion stating you cannot work can be helpful to the SSA in deciding your case. However, it is not a guarantee that the SSA will determine you are unable to work and award disability benefits. The SSA determines whether you can work or not.
Many disability misconceptions are circulating; these are four of the most common we hear. We may disagree with the reasoning behind these statements being false, but we know the SSA has the final say in whether you are awarded disability benefits. The one thing that Parmele Law Firm knows to be true is that people who obtain legal representation when pursuing disability benefits more than double their chances of being approved. We also know that since 2001, we have helped over 55,000 people receive their disability benefits. We also know that our legal team is one of, if not the most experienced SSD legal team, with 135+ years of combined SSD experience.
When you’re ready to move forward in the disability process and want to increase your chances of being approved, contact PLF to schedule your no-cost consultation at 866-889-2570. Parmele Law Firm. Guiding you with integrity, competency, and experience.