What is Your RFC?

Your residual functional capacity, or RFC, is an assessment of the most you can do despite your limitations. SSA uses this assessment, and other evidence, to determine whether or not you are disabled under SSA’s rules.

 

Your RFC will account for how long you could sit, stand, and walk and how much weight you could lift and carry during an eight-hour workday. Your physical RFC is expressed in one of five exertional definitions – sedentary, light, medium, heavy, and very heavy. Your RFC will also include any non-exertional limitations that you may have, like hearing, tolerating heat or cold, or difficulty concentrating or interacting with others.

 

The RFC must account for limitations from all your conditions, so it’s important to tell SSA about all of your medical conditions when you apply for benefits. You should also continue medical treatment for your conditions. If you are not getting medical treatment, you should seek care. SSA will need information from your doctors about your medical conditions, so all your limitations are included in your RFC.



-Laura Beth Waller
Associate Attorney 
Martin, Jones, & Piemonte

Website: www.mjpdisability.com



Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

The Importance of Communicating Clearly

Image
     When Social Security examines a case to determine whether a person is disabled, they rely to a large degree on medical records provided by your mental and physical health care providers.  One of the most important things a person can do when meeting with a doctor is to communicate clearly about any problems they are having and telling them about all of their relevant medical conditions. For example, frequently a claimant at a SS hearing will testify that the medication they take causes side effects, but if their treatment notes don’t reflect that they told the doctor they had side effects, the SS medical record doesn’t support the testimony and it’s usually disregarded. (Doctors don’t always ask about side effects and if you’ve got them it’s important to let the doctor know.) Another example is that sometimes a person says they’re feeling better, but they continue to have symptoms, however, if they don’t tell their health care provider about those symptoms, the record only shows t
Read more

Meniere’s Disease

Image
  Are you a veteran who is suffering from an inner ear disorder or have a diagnosis of Meniere’s disease related to your time in service?     Meniere’s disease is a chronic inner ear disability that may result in hearing loss, tinnitus, and vertigo.     It can occur in one or both ears.      While the exact cause of Meniere’s disease in not known, common causes may include viral infection, improper fluid drainage in the ear, abnormal immune response or a genetic predisposition.   In order to be successful in a VA claim for direct service connection for Meniere’s Disease, a veteran must satisfy the following elements: (1)    A current diagnosed disability that the veteran is currently seeking treatment. (2)    An in-service injury, illness or event that may have caused the disability; and  (3)    A medical nexus statement that links the in-service injury, illness, or event. Typically, nexus statements are medical opinions, such as an audiology report, that links the Meniere’s disease to
Read more

Sherri Majewski's Bio

Image
Sherri Majewski has been employed with Martin, Jones, & Piemonte since November 2019 as an administrative assistant and co-counsel liaison.  Sherri’s responsibilities include handling court filings as well as being the main point of contact between Martin, Jones, & Piemonte and referring representatives.  Sherri resides in Zebulon, North Carolina with her husband, their 3-year-old son, 4 cats, and 1 dog. In her free time Sherri’s enjoys hanging out with her family, crafting, and studying philosophy, sociology, and psychology.  Martin, Jones, & Piemonte  
Read more