How to Measure Medical Disability

Those with a medical disability may be able to get benefits from Social Security. The amount of benefits a person receives depends on the degree of their disability. A person’s medical disability can be measured by keeping a record of a number of different things.

• Ask the doctor to release any information that has to do with the disability. The doctor’s opinion is one of the most important things to present when applying for disability benefits from Social Security.


• Think about the person’s daily routine. Are they having trouble with anything that wasn’t an issue before they became disabled? Document any task that they can no longer perform or have difficulty performing. The tasks can be physical things like cooking and cleaning, or they can be mental issues such as handling personal finances. Providing this information can make a person eligible to receive more Social Security benefits.


• Get an on the job history report. See if there are any tasks that the person can no longer perform due to their disability. Maybe the employee had to be moved from one department to another because the disability affected their work.


• Tell the Social Security office how long the person may suffer from their disability. If the disability will not improve during the person’s life or for a long period of time more benefits may be given to them. In some cases, a physical disability can lead to mental issues like depression. If the person can heal from their disability, they probably will not receive benefits as long.