Step Two of the Sequential Evaluation Process: Severity

The second step of the sequential evaluation process deals with the severity factor. As an Ocala disability lawyer can tell you, you must have a severe medically determinable impairment in order to advance to the next steps of the evaluation.

Medically Determinable Impairment

The SSA requires that your impairment be medically determinable. Your Ocala disability lawyer will explain in more detail what this term means, but generally, it indicates an impairment that has been shown to exist by medical tests and diagnoses. If there are several diagnoses that conflict with each other, your Ocala disability attorney will tell you not to worry. The existence of any legitimate diagnosis is enough for the SSA to find a medically determinable impairment. Without a medically determinable impairment, you will not be found disabled by the SSA.

Severity

Once the SSA has found that you have a medically determinable impairment, the next step is to assess its severity. You should let your Ocala disability attorney know about any subjective symptoms you have experienced, because the SSA will consider these in evaluating the severity of your impairment. Any reduction in your residual functional capacity (RFC) due to these symptoms is enough for the SSA to find that your impairment is severe. Your Ocala disability lawyer will assure you that, even if the SSA cannot clearly determine your impairment’s effect on your work ability, you will advance to the remaining steps of the evaluation.

Consult an Attorney

Choosing the right attorney is an important step as you move forward with your disability claim. Contact the CJ Henry Law Firm, PLLC at 352-304-5300 today to speak to an experienced Ocala disability lawyer.