If I Don’t Meet a Social Security "Listing" Can I Still Win?

   As discussed on this web site, most Social Security cases are decided based on the work activity limitations resulting from one or more medical problems. I use the listings as a framework to identify what is wrong with you medically, but the big picture has to do with identifying specific work limitations that leave you unable to perform work.

   In most cases I see, therefore, I argue for disability based on my client’s limited functional capacity for work or I argue that he or she meets one of the grids.

   If you do not meet a listing, you can expect to wait months or even years before your case is scheduled for a hearing.  I am hopeful that these long SSI and SSDI hearing delays are temporary and that SSA is successful in implementing is new disability decision making process.  As of mid-2008, the delays in the decision making process have reached a record number of days in Georgia, and the Social Security Administration has scaled back its roll out of a new adjudication process.

   Keep track of any new changes in Social Security’s decision making system on my Social Security disability blog and my disabilty podcast.