Depression and Your Rights to Social Security Disability Benefits

If you are suffering from depression, you may be entitled to Social Security Disability benefits.

The Social Security Administration uses a five step sequential evaluation to determine entitlement to every claim for Social Security Disability benefits but, a claim for depression is different.

If you are suffering from depression and are unable to work, you must prove the following:

1. Your depression must prevent you from doing any kind of work for at least twelve months.

2. Your depression must be considered severe.

3. You must meet a listing under the Social Security Administration rules for depression. If you don’t, as most people don’t, you then more on to step four of the five step sequential evaluation.

At step four, the Social Security Administration will determine whether or not you reasonably could return to work doing the lightest job you’ve had in the last fifteen years.

It’s important that you get medical treatment, especially a psychologist, psychiatrist, or even a social worker who can document the difficulties that you are having that would prevent you from going back to the lightest job you’ve held in the last fifteen years.

Once you meet step four of the five step sequential evaluation the Social Security Administration is going to determine whether or not you could reasonably do another job in the national economy based on the level of your functioning, age, education and transferable skills. That’s where documentation is cruicial. The Social Security Administration will want to know if your depression has reduced or even caused a complete loss of interest in activities of daily living. That can include problems with your appetite, changes in weight, sleep, decreased energy, difficulty concentrating, difficulty thinking, and even difficulty interacting with others.

It also may include difficulty taking instruction, following instructions or staying on task.

The more symptoms that are documented in your medical records, the greater the chances are that your social Security Disability claim for depression will be granted.

In addition to having strong medical evidence at The Law Offices of Nancy L. Cavey, your Tampa Bay Social Security Disability depression attorneys, we think it’s important that you or a family member keep a log that documents, on a daily basis the problems that you are having with functioning.

If your claim for Social Security Disability benefits for depression has been denied, contact Nancy Cavey today!