What Is Considered a Severe Impairment Under Disability Law?

Tulsa Social Security Disability Attorney Explains Severe Mental and Physical Impairments

During your sequential evaluation for your Social Security disability claim, the Social Security Administration will look at your case to identify your severe impairments. In this video, Tulsa disability attorney Steve Troutman explains what the Social Security Administration considers severe impairment and how a case will proceed from there.

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Video Transcription

Almost anything is considered severe. Any impairment that would have any significant impact on their ability to form basic work activities is considered a severe impairment. So Social Security is supposed to consider both mental and physical issues. From a physical standpoint, a severe impairment would be anything from an ankle injury, knee injury, back problems, neck problems, it doesn’t have to be a major thing. It can be carpal tunnel syndrome, elbow problems, torn ACL in the knee. Mental standpoint, it could be anxiety, depression, PTSD, the list could go on. So in Social Security, you’re supposed to consider all of those, both physical and mental.

Once Social Security decides what physical or mental severe impairments someone has, the case proceeds to Step 3 of the sequential evaluation and Social Security examines the listings.
