Does My Age Matter For Social Security Disability?

When you apply for Social Security Disability benefits, age is one of the many factors the Social Security Administration considers to determine whether you are capable of working. Age is relevant because younger individuals are assumed apter to learn new skills as necessary to move to a different line of work.

For example, if you are a shoe salesperson over 30, and you suffer from a nerve disorder that makes you unable to stand, the SSA may find that while you are unable to perform your current job, you can adjust to another line of work. If you are over 50 and have the same retail job and the same ailment, you might successfully argue that you do not have opportunities to work in other fields.

At the law office of Douglas W. Hutson, Attorney at Law, in Athens, Tennessee, we help people of all ages get the disability benefits they need and deserve.

We do not charge any lawyers’ fees for disability representation unless we win your case. There is no upfront fee to retain our law firm in your Social Security Disability case.

How The Social Security Administration Will Evaluate Your Claim

The SSA follows a five-step process to analyze whether a person qualifies for benefits. The SSA only moves onto the next step after finding you are disabled at the current step. In summary, these steps include:

1. Are you working now?
2. Do you have a severe impairment that significantly limits your ability to perform basic work duties?
3. Is your impairment listed on the Social Security Administration’s list of qualifying disabilities? If so, has the impairment lasted 12 months or can it be expected to last this long or until death?
4. Are you still able to perform any of your previous job duties?
5. Can you perform other available work?

Step five is perhaps the most complicated step and this is where the question “does age matter?” is considered. The SSA may be more likely to agree that a person approaching retirement age is less likely to adjust to another work, and thus finds such a person disabled and eligible for benefits.

Schedule Your Free Consultation

Douglas W. Hutson has more than 35 years of experience representing disabled people in SSD cases, and he has an outstanding record of winning disability claims.

To discuss your Social Security Disability case with Mr. Hutson, call 423-453-3021 or fill out this form to schedule a free initial legal consultation. We can meet with you at our law office in Athens. There is no fee unless we win your case.