The Social Security Administration will review your medical records at the Initial Application and Reconsideration stage of the claims process and determine whether you can perform sedentary, light, medium and heavy work. SSA medical consultants often opine that an asthma Social Security Disability applicant can do light and sedentary work, and that will result in a claims denial. The way to get around this issue is to get your physician to complete a properly structured RFC form. That is one of the many reasons you should have an experienced Social Security law firm like Ellis & Associates to represent you in your claim. We know which vocational factors carry the most weight with Judges in a particular hearing office. Some questions a properly completed RFC form will contain is as follows:
- How far you can walk
- How your symptoms change with exertion
- What exertional limitations you have
- Whether you can work around excessive dust or fumes
- What impact hot or cold temperatures have on your symptoms
- Whether you have good days and bad days and how many days per month you would miss from work, and
- Whether you have psychological problems that would interfere with your ability to work.
This is not an exhaustive list of all the questions we would include on an asthma RFC form. But you can see that having an explanation of what you can do physically, cognitively and emotionally is key to winning your case.
If in fact you or someone you care for are struggling with asthma to the point where your/their ability to work has been compromised, contact Ellis & Associates at 1-800-Mr. Ellis for advice as to whether Social Security disability benefits may be an appropriate resource to pursue.