An Orange Park Social Security lawyer can tell you that the manner in which a state agency and an administrative law judge (ALJ) approach the determination of disability may vary significantly.

State Determinations

When determining your ability to work, an Orange Park Social Security lawyer knows that state agencies infrequently examine anything other than the medical findings. They use the Listing of Impairments regularly to reach a determination of disability. Even though lawsuits have been instigated to challenge this, the Listing is often used as an unstated basis to deny disability, particularly for claimants younger than 50 years of age.

A state agency will typically deny disability for a younger claimant if his or her impairment does not meet the Listings. Specific formulas are used by state agencies to determine what the residual functional capacity (FRC) is for specific medical impairments, which effectively lumps all claimants possessing similar medical findings together. An Orange Park Social Security lawyer knows that very few formulas conclude a claimant cannot perform an extensive variety of sedentary employment.

ALJ Hearing Decisions

Administrative law judges tend to look at medical findings as the parameter for possible RFCs, which may give rise to a disability determination. An Orange Park Social Security attorney is aware that ALJs tend to evaluate the whole case, along with your credibility, when determining which RFC comes most closely to describing your capability. More young claimants under 50 are found disabled by ALJs than state agencies because of their inability to perform sedentary work.

Legal Counsel

If you would like to speak with an experienced and knowledgeable Orange Park Social Security attorney regarding your claim, please contact John Fagan Accident Lawyers by calling 904-278-1000. Call today to schedule a free consultation.