| Introduction |
| Your Social Security Disability Companion | 1 |
| Medical and Legal Questions | 2 |
| Medical Listings | 3 |
| Quick Disability Determination (QDD) | 5 |
| 1 What Is Social Security Disability? | 7 |
| A Two Different Programs | 8 |
| B Defining Disability | 19 |
| C Contacting the Social Security Administration | 22 |
| D Frequently Asked Questions About Social Security Disability | 23 |
| 2 Applying for Disability Benefits | 27 |
| A Preparing to Apply | 28 |
| B Applying for Disability Benefits | 28 |
| C The Role of Health Care Professionals | 75 |
| D How Other Disability Payments May Affect Social Security Benefits | 77 |
| E Availability and Disclosure of Confidential Records | 80 |
| F Fraud and Other Crimes | 86 |
| 3 Disability Benefits for Children | 89 |
| A Three Benefit Programs for Children | 90 |
| B Applying for SSDI or SSI Benefits | 93 |
| C Disability Evaluation | 105 |
| D Continuing Disability Reviews for SSI Children | 109 |
| E Other Health Care Concerns | 110 |
| 4 Getting Benefits During the Application Process (SSI) | 113 |
| A Applying for Presumptive Disability | 116 |
| B Impairments Qualifying for Presumptive Disability by Field Office | 116 |
| C Qualifying for Presumptive Disability Through DDS | 119 |
| 5 Proving You're Disabled | 121 |
| A Acceptable Medical Sources | 122 |
| B Medical Evidence From Treating Sources | 123 |
| C The Role of Consultative Examinations in Disability Determination | 133 |
| D Evidence of Symptoms | 137 |
| E Other Evidence | 140 |
| F Expedited Determinations | 140 |
| 6 Who Decides Your Claim? | 149 |
| A DDS Basics | 150 |
| B DDS Claims Examiners | 151 |
| C DDS Organization | 151 |
| D Medical Consultants | 153 |
| E If Your Claim Is Granted | 156 |
| F If Your Claim is Denied | 157 |
| G DDS Corruption and Incompetence | 158 |
| H Quick Disability Determination Unit (QDD) | 165 |
| 7 How Claims Are Decided | 167 |
| Step 1. Are You Engaged in Substantial Gainful Activity? | 168 |
| Step 2. Do You Have Severe Impairments? | 168 |
| Step 3. Do You Meet a Medical Listing? | 169 |
| Step 4. Can You Do Your Prior Job? | 171 |
| Step 5. Can You Do Any Other Job? | 172 |
| 8 Whether You Can Do Some Work: Your RFC | 173 |
| A RFC Analysis for Physical Impairments and Abilities | 175 |
| B Mental Impairments and Abilities | 185 |
| C Claims With Both Physical and Mental RFCs | 189 |
| 9 How Age, Education, and Work Experience Matter | 191 |
| A Age | 193 |
| B Education | 195 |
| C Work Experience | 198 |
| D Use of Vocational Analysts | 203 |
| E Vocational Rehabilitation | 205 |
| 10 When Benefits Begin | 207 |
| A Medical Evidence | 208 |
| B Work Experience | 209 |
| C SSDI or SSI Claimant | 210 |
| 11 Reasons You May Be Denied Benefits | 213 |
| A You Earn Too Much Income or Have Too Many Assets | 214 |
| B Your Disability Won't Last Long Enough | 215 |
| C The SSA Can't Find You | 215 |
| D You Refuse to Cooperate | 216 |
| E You Fail to Follow Prescribed Therapy | 216 |
| F Drug Addiction or Alcoholism Contributes to Your Disability | 221 |
| G You Have Been Convicted of a Crime | 223 |
| H You Commit Fraud | 223 |
| 12 Appealing If Your Claim Is Denied | 225 |
| A Deciding Whether to Appeal | 226 |
| B Review the Rationale and Your File From the SSA | 231 |
| C Appeal Basics | 235 |
| D Your Right to Representation | 237 |
| E Four Levels of Appeal | 238 |
| F Reopening of Decisions | 293 |
| G Refiling an Initial Claim | 293 |
| 13 Once You Are Approved | 295 |
| A Disability Benefit Payments | 297 |
| B Reporting Changes-SSDI Recipients | 302 |
| C Reporting Changes-SSI Recipients | 314 |
| D Returning to Work | 319 |
| E The Ticket to Work and Work Incentives Improvement Act | 329 |
| F Participation in the Ticket to Work Program | 332 |
| 14 Continuing Disability Review | 343 |
| A Frequency of Reviews | 344 |
| B How the SSA Contacts You | 347 |
| C Medical Improvement Review Standard | 365 |
| D Children and CDRs | 375 |
| E Appealing a CDR Decision | 376 |
| 15 Your Right to Representation | 377 |
| A When Do You Need an Authorized Representative? | 378 |
| B What Can an Authorized Representative Do? | 379 |
| C Who Can Be an Authorized Representative? | 380 |
| D Should Your Authorized Representative Be an Attorney? | 381 |
| E How to Find a Disability Representative | 382 |
| F Notifying the SSA of Your Choice for Representative | 383 |
| G When and How Your Representative Is Paid | 384 |
| H Keeping Up on the Law Yourself | 389 |
| Appendixes |
| A Glossary of Bureaucratic Terms | 391 |
| B Examples of Technical Rationales for Denials | 395 |
| Form SSA-4268, Denials From Initial Application | 396 |
| Form SSA-4268, Denials From Continuing Disability Review (CDR) | 400 |
| C Medical-Vocational Rules | 411 |
| D How to Use the Medical Listings on Nolo.com | 419 |
| List of Files on Nolo.com | 420 |
| Index | 421 |
