Sometimes, a person in Atlanta suffers from a disability that does not fall under the Social Security Administration’s (SSA) “Listing of Impairments.” Therefore, to determine what work activities the person can still do despite his or her disability, the SSA will determine what the person’s “residual functional capacity.”
In making such a determination, the SSA will examine the evidence the person provides in their application for Social Security Disability (SSD) benefits. The SSA will then decide whether, despite the person’s limitations, the person is able to perform certain work activities.
For example, the SSA will examine how the person’s disability affects his or her ability to perform physical activities. Some examples of these activities include the ability to sit or stand for a period. They also include the ability to pull, push, carry or lift objects.
The SSA will also examine how the person is able to manipulate objects and perform postural activities. This includes the ability to kneel, reach, use one’s fingers, balance or go up and down stairs or ladders, among others.
In addition, the SSA will examine the person’s ability to work under certain environmental conditions, including cold or hot environments, humid environments, noisy environments and environments with poor ventilation, among others. The person’s ability to see, hear and communicate will also be examined. And, the person’s ability to concentrate and pay attention to carry out instructions and respond to every day work situations and any changes that might come up while at work will be examined.
Satisfying these conditions is not always easy. The SSA carefully scrutinizes every application for SSD benefits. Therefore, it is important to make sure that one’s application contains all the necessary medical evidence, particularly if their condition does not fall under the “Listing of Impairments.” Moreover, deciding whether one is unable to work is only one part of the application. To learn more about applying for SSD benefits, it can help to retain legal counsel.
