Persistent low back pain brings many clients to my Ocala disability law firm. Even though chronic lower back pain can be debilitating, these cases are especially challenging.
If your back problem does not satisfy a Social Security Administration Listing, your eligibility for benefits will depend on your “residual functional capacity” or “RFC.” RFC is an assessment of what you are capable of doing despite the limitations caused by your low back pain. To determine your RFC, the Social Security Administration will consider both your objective medical evidence (usually X-rays and scans in back injury cases), and your subjective evidence (your testimony and the testimony of your witnesses).
Although X-rays, CT scans, and MRI scans can identify spinal abnormalities, they are not very helpful in assessing the level of pain you experience as a result of an abnormality. Some individuals experience significant pain and disability, even though their scans reveal little degeneration or injury.
Since the Listing for a spinal disorder is hard to satisfy, and objective medical evidence is often insufficient to prove the extent of back pain, your testimony may be the critical factor that determines the success of your claim. To convince the judge of the severity of your back pain, you must describe how it limits your ability to function. To make your testimony compelling, provide details and explicit examples of how your back pain interferes with your daily activities. The credibility of your reports of back pain is crucial. The judge will consider whether your complaints about your back pain been consistent and, if they have not been, whether you can explain any inconsistencies.
If your lower back pain has made it difficult or impossible to work, I may be able to help you obtain Social Security disability benefits. Please contact Ocala disability lawyer CJ Henry for a free consultation.
