Five-Step Evaluation by Administrative Law Judge
The five steps taken by an Administrative Law Judge to determine disability:
- If you are performing substantial gainful work, you are not disabled.
- If you are not performing substantial gainful work, your impairment(s) must be severe before you can be found to be disabled.
- If you are not performing substantial gainful work and you have a severe impairment(s) that has lasted, or is expected to last, for a continuous period of at least 12 months, and your impairment(s) meets or medically equals a listed impairment, you are presumed to be disabled without further inquiry.
- If your impairment(s) does not prevent you from doing your past relevant work, you are not disabled.
- Even if your impairment(s) prevents you from performing your past relevant work, if other work exists in significant numbers in the national economy that accommodates your residual functional capacity and vocational factors, you are not disabled.
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Free Legal Evaluation
If you are injured, unable to work, and have been denied social security disability benefits, you should contact our law firm for a free consultation on your rights to collect benefits by:
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