Benefits for People Over 50

In short, it is a lot easier for an unskilled person to win a disability claim if he or she is over 50.

The rules that govern the disability determination make it easier for most people who are over 50 years old to be considered disabled. If a person is over 50 and has an unskilled work history, then he or she could be considered disabled if he or she is limited to no more than sedentary work. Sedentary work is defined as being able to stand or walk in combination no more than 2 hours total out of an 8 hour work day and lift no more than 10 lbs. occasionally and nothing more than light things such as papers and files frequently. If you have a history of skilled work then you also need to show that you do not have skills that would transfer to sedentary work. For instance if you are over 50 and you have only worked in construction, then you could be considered disabled if you have developed serious orthopedic issues such as back and knee arthritis. However, if you have a history of working at a skilled job such as nursing, you would also need to be able to show that you could not do a desk job at a medical office.

Related Questions

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