SOCIAL SECURITY AND WORKERS OVER AGE 50

Social Security places workers who are age 50 and over in a special category that may help them collect Social Security disability benefits.  Social Security "lowers the bar" when it comes to proving disability after age 50.  And at age 55, it gets even easier.  Individuals who are 55 or older are considered "approaching advanced age."

The "Grid Rules" work in favor of older workers.  Here's an illustration.

John is a 39 year-old worker with a condition which limits him to sedentary work.  He has a high school education, unskilled past work and no special vocational skills.  He is literate, able to read and write in English.  The Grid Rules will direct a finding of "not disabled."

Denny is a 56 year-old worker with a condition which limits him to sedentary work.  He has a high school education, unskilled past work and no special vocational skills.  He is also literate, able to read and write in English.  The Grid Rules will direct a finding of "disabled."

What's the difference?  Age is the only difference.  As a worker ages, he or she is less able to adapt to new, unskilled work.  If there is no past skilled work that can transfer, and no skills that enable direct entry into skilled work, the individual will be found to be disabled.

The inner workings of how adjudicators arrive at disability decisions can be quite complicated.  It may be to your advantage to appoint a representative to help you with your disability claim--especially if your initial application is denied and you need to kick your case up to a hearing review.  Your representative cannot charge you a fee unless you win your case AND also collect back pay benefits (lump sum settlement).

For a free, no obligation evaluation of your disability case, please contact us at the Forsythe Firm.  We do not handle anything but disability cases and we know Social Security and how it works.  Call us at (256) 799-0297 in Huntsville, AL.  We work all over Alabama and Middle Tennessee.

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