Social Security Disability Sequential Evaluation Steps

Step Two of the Five Step Sequential Evaluation Process Disability Examiners Use to Allow or Deny Your Application for SSI and Social Security Disability Benefits ...

  Here's a little graphic of the five step sequential evaluation process

2. Do you have a medical impairment that is more than non severe? 

To qualify for disability benefits, your medical condition must be a severe one.

If you have broken your arm and have no other impairments, this condition will be deemed non-severe by your disability examiner (DE) since it is a condition that is not expected to last for 12 months nor is it expected to result in your death. If you have diabetes that is controlled with medication or high blood pressure that is controlled, these are conditions that will generally be deemed non-severe by your DE. These are conditions that a lot of people have, and they do not significantly impact the ability to work. Of course there are some cases where diabetes and high blood pressure may be advanced enough to have caused end organ damage to other systems in the body, and in that case such impairments would be deemed to be “more than non-severe”.

So, if your condition is determined to be non-severe, your claim will be denied at this level. However, if you have a severe impairment that affects your work ability, your claim will move on to step three.

Social Security Administration Information on the Five Step Sequential Evaluation Process

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