Return to Videos Social Security decides if somebody is disabled by taking a look at what their impairments are. Number one, they take a look at any physical or mental impairments that need a medical listing. After the medical listing determination is made, if a person does not need a medical listing, then they take a look at the person's age, their education, their prior relevant work to determine whether or not the afflictions that they have are going to permanently interfere with that person's ability to engage in a regular occupation or any other occupation that's available in the national economy on a regular and consistent basis.