Residual Functional Capacity: How Does It Affect The Outcome Of Your Disability Claim?

If the Social Security Administration (SSA) denies your disability claim because it fails to recognize your illness or physical impairment through a residual functional capacity exam, contact a disability lawyer right away. The administration uses residual functional capacity exams to determine the extent of your physical capabilities. If you can perform some type of employment, such as sitting down at a desk or working less hours in your current career, the SSA can refuse your first disability claim. A disability attorney helps you overcome this tremendous obstacle by presenting evidence of your inability to work in any capacity during your appeal hearing. Here's what residual functional capacity is and how your attorney addresses it in your case.

What's Residual Functional Capacity?

After you complete and file your disability claim, the SSA examines your medical records to see if you have any type of physical or mental impairment that keeps you from working in any job field or setting. The administration calls this examination residual functional capacity. SSA-approved physicians, physical therapists and other specialists perform your physical and mental exams. 

Residual functional capacity is based on a list of impairments compiled by the SSA. If your health or mental condition is on the list, the SSA moves forward with the claim. If your impairment isn't on the list, the SSA performs a vocational and medical evaluation to see if you can do other types of work instead of your current job duties or profession.

Once the SSA receives the results of your vocational and medical evaluation, they can deny your disability claim if the doctors don't recognize or approve of your impairment. In this case, you have the option of appealing the denial on your own or through a SSA attorney. The best way to win your appeal is to have a disability lawyer work on your behalf.

How Does Your Disability Lawyer Help You?

Your disability lawyer can do a number of things to win your appeal, including obtaining new evidence of your unapproved impairment. Your attorney will have new doctors and specialists re-evaluate your disability by performing more in-depth exams. The doctors and specialists also find evidence of other people who have the same or similar physical or mental disability that pertain to your case. 

Your attorney submits a new application for your disability claim along with the new medical evidence. In many cases, the evidence is sufficient enough to secure your disability benefits. 

You should understand that appealing an unapproved impairment takes time and a great deal of effort to carry out. Although the process is often lengthy and tiresome, it works in your favor. You stand a better chance of winning your disability case if you give your attorney time to work on your behalf.

If you have concerns about the residual functional capacity exams, contact your attorney immediately for a private consultation. 

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