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    We Represent People With:

  • Physical Disabilities and Impairments, Psychiatric and Mental Disorders, Bipolar, PTSD, Deafness, Blindness, HIV/Aids, Cancer, Epilepsy, Schizophrenia, Depression, Mental Retardation, Cerebral palsy, Multiple Sclerosis, Diabetes, Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, Herniated Disk, Fibromyalgia, Lupus, Arthritis, Stroke, Seizures, Hepatitis, Heart and Lung disease, Meniere's Disease, Crohn's Disease, Colitis, L.B.S., Myasthenia Gravis, Severe Headaches and Sleep Disorders, Amputation, Vocational Disabilities, MRSA who have wrongfully been denied their benefits.
Home :: FAQ :: Physicians Issues

What happens at step 3 in the sequential evaluation process; is a medical opinion relevant here ?

Yes.  This issue needs to be addressed, at least briefly here and a further description will be found further on in this section.  Suffice it  to say for now that  at step three, the ALJ must determine whether the claimant’s impairment or combination of impairments meets or medically equals the criteria of an impairment listed in 20 CFR Part 404, Subpart P, Appendix 1 (20 CFR 404.1520(d), 404.1525, 404.1526(d), 416.925, and 416.909).  If the claimant’s impairment or combination of impairments meets or medically equals the criteria of a listing and meets the duration requirement of 12 months or more,(20 CFR Part 404, Subpart P. Appendix 1 (20 CFR 404.1509 and 416.909), the claimant is disabled.  If it does not, the analysis proceeds to the next step.