What Are The Grid Rules?

By Kenton Koszdin on July 23, 2018 | In Disability Insurance

What Are The Grid Rules?

When a claim for disability benefits is filed with the Social Security Administration (SSA) and a claimant doesn’t meet a medical impairment listing, it evaluates the case using what are commonly known as the “grid rules” to determine whether a claimant is disabled. These rules allow disability cases to be evaluated uniformly by the SSA.

Why are they called the “grid rules” by many industry practitioners? The SSA publishes “medical-vocational guidelines” that focus on the age, education and work background of a disability claimant rather than any medical conditions. These guidelines appear in five columns or “grids,” and thus, many attorneys, examiners, and ALJs refer to them as the “grid rules.”

Disability claimants who choose to work with a disability lawyer knowledgeable and experienced in interpreting, understanding, and, thus, utilizing these rules, arguably has the best possible chance of filing a disability application that is approved.

The Grid Rules are only utilized if the applicant has a physical limitation. Illnesses that are solely based on a mental health condition or a diagnosis of pain that finds no lifting and standing restrictions will not trigger use of these rules.

There are certain vocational realities that exist as workers age. A worker’s education and job skills affect his or her ability to find a job.  Employers are less likely to offer an entry-level job to applicants age 50 or over. The grid rules recognize and consider these facts by attempting to classify these vocational realities as “vocational adjustments.”

An injury, illness or disability may prevent anyone from performing his or her job to the best of his or her ability. My office is here to protect those who are injured on the job. My office is here to protect those who are disabled, sick, ill and unable to work. The primary goal of the Kenton Koszdin Law Office is to help our clients get as well as possible physically and financially. Contact the Kenton Koszdin Law Office today for a free consultation. We even offer free in-home consultations! Call 800-438-7734 or visit us online. It will be a pleasure to hear from you. Se habla espańol!

 

 

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