Step 3: Does your medical problem meet or equal one of Social Security’s listed impairments?

At the third step of the Sequential Evaluation, Social Security will determine whether or not an individual’s impairment meets or equals one of the listed impairments.

Social Security has a Listing of Impairments, which can be found at https://www.ssa.gov/disability/professionals/bluebook/AdultListings.htm for adults and https://www.ssa.gov/disability/professionals/bluebook/ChildhoodListings.htm for children. If it is determined that an individual’s impairment meets or equals one of these listed impairments, the individual is found to be disabled.

In order to meet one of the listed impairments, an individual’s impairment must meet every requirement set forth under a particular listing. However, if an individual fails to meet every requirement under a listing, there are three ways Social Security can still find that the individual medically equals a listing (20 C.F.R. §404.1526):

1. If an individual has an impairment listed in the Listing of Impairments, but they do not meet one or more of the requirements specified in that particular listing OR they exhibit all of the requirements under the listing except one of the requirements is not as severe as specified in the listing, Social Security can find that the individual’s impairment medically equals the listing if there are other findings related to the individual’s impairment that are at least of equal medical significance to the requirements set forth in the listing.

2. If an individual has an impairment that is not found in the Listing of Impairments, Social Security will compare the individual’s medical findings with those of a listing that is most similar to the individual’s impairment. If the medical findings related to the individual’s impairment are at least of equal medical significance to those of a listed impairment, Social Security can find that the individual’s impairment medically equals that listing.

3. If an individual has multiple impairments that do not meet any listing, Social Security will compare the individual’s medical findings from his or her combination of impairments to those of any listing most similar to the individual’s impairments. If the individual’s medical findings related to the combination of his or her impairments are at least of equal medical significance to those of a listed impairment, Social Security can find that the individual’s impairments medically equal that listing.

If you have any further questions regarding this topic, please feel free to contact one of the attorneys at Smith Godios Sorensen Inc. toll-free at 877-230-5500.