Saturday, August 19, 2017
12:07 PM
Are you OVER 50 and unable to work? by Disability Lawyer Chris L. Gore, Sesser, IL (www.sesserdisability.com)
There are special rules called “The Grids” These Social Security Administration (SSA) disability rules recognize older individuals may have a harder time transitioning to other work if you have physical limitations that keep you from doing your past work or work similar to your past work.
Are you at least age 50 and unable to work?
If so, special rules, “The Grids” may apply. You may be eligible for Social Security Disability (SSD) or Supplemental Security Income (SSI) disability based on these rules. Most people aren’t aware of the importance of age when applying for disability.
SSA breaks work into categories: heavy, medium, light, and sedentary (or sit down work). In addition, work is categorized into skilled, semi-skilled, and unskilled. The general rule, is that once a claimant reaches age 50 and the most strenuous work he or she can do is sedentary, then the individual would meet the Grids and qualify for SSD unless an exception to the rule applies.
Exceptions to the Grids
The Social Security Administration (SSA) reviews your work for the last fifteen years. SSA will determine what physical level each of your past obs were performed at: heavy, medium, light, or sedentary. Also, skill level will be determined for each job. If the most physical a job you could do is sedentary and you have no skills that transfer to a sedentary job then you would be eligible for disability benefits. You are awarded benefits, even though you might be able to do a sedentary job. A person age 49 with the same limitations and past work as you would not be awarded benefits. Education and other factors are also considered. Determining whether someone is eligible for benefits is very complicated, I am biased, but having a disability lawyer to represent you is very beneficial. Other factors that are considered are education level, other skills, work history, non-exertional limitations and more.
What are you waiting for?
There is even a special rule called the “Worn Out Worker” rule. It is based on having worked 35 years in very physically demanding unskilled. These rules are what’s called a “special vocational profile” rule. If you haven’t applied but have stopped working due to injury or illness earlier than you planned visit http://www.ssa.gov online and apply.
Try my free Disability Lawyer Case Evaluation at http://www.sesserdisability.com