A physical injury or health condition can stop you from completing your job or working in any industry, depending on how severe it is. Everything from a constant backache or knee injury to problems with walking and staying on your feet can be disabling to you and your career. When this happens, you might be able to use Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) to get certain benefits—but first, you’ll need to fill out the Social Security Administration (SSA) Adult Function Report (Form SSA-3373) for physical health.
What is the SSA Adult Function Report?
Acting as a first checkpoint for people who want Social Security Disability benefits, the SSA Adult Function Report is a 10-page form with questions and prompts that are meant to evaluate the applicant’s disability and how that interferes with their gainful employment. You will have to fill out this form completely and accurately, so it is advised that you don’t start it without first consulting an SSD attorney. With a lawyer leading the way, you can be sure that you fill it out correctly, so you won’t risk any application delays or do-overs due to simple, avoidable mistakes.
What the Adult Function Report Evaluates
An SSA agent will have to decide if your SSDI application is eligible for further review which could eventually result in benefits being granted to you. The Adult Function Report is a reliable starting point for them to make that evaluation.
The Adult Function Report for physical health will primarily check for:
- Day-to-day functioning: Your day-to-day functioning can set a good benchmark to evaluate your overall physical health. If you cannot attend to your family life, hobbies, or education due to a physical limitation, then it will indicate that you can’t hold gainful employment either. Alternatively, you may be able to complete some of these activities, but maybe you can only do them for a short period of time or you need to take breaks during the course of the activity.
- Physical capabilities: Your physical capabilities beyond day-to-day or routine tasks might be called into question on the Adult Function Report for physical health, too. For example, you can mention that you struggle with less common tasks, like taking something off a high shelf, or that you are entirely unable to participate in exercise, sports, or gardening.
- Diagnosed limitations: You should mention in the Adult Function Report how the symptoms from your diagnoses affect your functional limitations. Something like a diagnosis of a bad back, injured knee, or walking difficulty will help the SSA agent more clearly understand your limitations and why they can stop you from working in most or any capacity.
Tips for Filling Out the Adult Function Report for Physical Health
When you need to fill out the Adult Function Report for physical health, keep these tips in mind:
- Always answer questions honestly and never exaggerate or fabricate any details.
- Report what you know in good faith, even if that means you have to answer “I don’t know” on some prompts.
- Give details about your physical health, such as doctor’s notes, diagnoses, and prognoses, where they are relevant.
- Write something in every prompt or question space; you shouldn’t leave anything entirely blank.
- Remain consistent in your answers; some questions might be very similar to previous questions, so make sure you aren’t providing completely different answers between the two prompts.
- Use the ‘remarks’ section on the final page of the Adult Function Report to elaborate on any answers that did not have enough room by the original prompts.
- Talk to an SSD attorney if you have any questions about the Adult Function Report before you fill it out.
Legal Help for Adult Function Reports & SSD Claims
If you live in Georgia and need help with your Social Security Disability claim, including the Adult Function Report for physical health, you can count on Affleck & Gordon for legal counsel and guidance. We have more than 45 years of legal experience to put to use, so you can rest easy knowing that you are getting reliable information from a trusted law firm. Your SSD case and benefits are important to us, so please let us help you understand and get through the SSD processes in your future.
For a free, confidential consultation with Affleck & Gordon, call (404) 990-3945.