SSDI lawyers in Englewood often encounter Social Security claimants who wonder if a functional capacity evaluation will be necessary to qualify for disability benefits. In the vast majority of cases, an evaluation is not necessary and would not be helpful in deciding whether or not the claimant has the capacity to do meaningful work. Usually, functional examinations only last for a few hours and are not comprehensive or reliable enough to fully explain your medical condition and how it affects your long-term ability to work.

This is largely because functional capacity evaluations assume that the claimant will be working in a sedentary capacity where sitting for extended periods of time is common. This default assumption is problematic because every job is different and job duties vary.

Your Sedentary Job

In most determinations for Social Security disability benefits, the primary consideration is the claimant’s ability to work full-time doing a sedentary job. Essentially this means the ability to do a job that requires sitting for 6-8 hours per day with occasional walking around and lifting or carrying objects not weighing more than 10 pounds. This may seem like a relatively simple determination to make. In reality, there are a number of factors that could influence a claimant’s day-to-day ability to perform these functions.

Medical Opinions

One important tip for applying for disability is that your doctor does not have to have any special expertise to provide an opinion about your ability to work. In fact, a doctor who is familiar with your long term medical history can usually provide more insightful commentary about how your condition affects your ability to perform at work. If you have any questions about your personal doctor’s recommendation or those of another medical specialist the SSDI lawyers in our Englewood office can help you decide whether the particular doctor’s opinion will be useful for your claim.

Contact Our SSDI Lawyers in Englewood

If you are in the midst of a Social Security disability claim or are considering filing a claim, the attorneys at Hermann Law Group, PLLC can help. Our SSDI lawyers in Englewood can provide you with many helpful tips for applying for disability. We have assisted hundreds of clients with disability benefits claims and we are happy to answer your questions. Call us at (914) 286-3030 for a case evaluation.