Calling the Social Security Administration (“SSA”) office is unlikely to help you understand whether or not you qualify for Social Security Disability. This is because when you call the SSA office you will be speaking with a service representative, who is not qualified to make a determination regarding a person’s disability. That is a decision that is assessed by disability examiners who work at DDS, Disability Determination Services, a state agency which is entirely separate from SSA.

DDS assesses many factors in determining a person’s ability to return to the workforce. First, the determination is made whether the claimant can return to their old job. If they can, their claim is denied. Next, DDS will consider whether the claimant has transferrable skills, and will consider factors such as the claimant’s level of education, past work experience, and age. After the age of 50, a person is generally not expected to learn a new trade or skill. Assessing these factors along with a claimant’s physical or mental disabilities or limitations is part of a complex process that service representatives at SSA cannot and should not attempt to inform potential claimants on. This is why you are better off seeking an attorney who is knowledgeable and experienced in navigating the process of proving one’s qualifications to obtain SSD benefits from the SSA.