Police Officer

Wednesday, March 5th, 2008

I represent a 55 year old police officer in connection with his Social Security Disability (“SSD”) application. The officer was already found incapable of working as a police officer by the Police Pension Medical Board. He had been reluctant to provide me with a copy of the Medical Board’s decision. After finally reviewing a copy, I learned that his reluctance was because the Medical Board had indicated that while he could no longer work a police officer, he did have a sedentary work capacity.

I submitted the Medical Board’s decision to the Social Security Administration (“SSA”). I explained to the officer that vocational experts from the SSA have testified that police officers do not have skills that are transferable to sedentary work. If a person is over 50 years of age, has only done non-sedentary work for the past 15 years, then that person is entitled to receive SSD benefits under the SSA’s medical-vocational rules even if he has a sedentary work capacity.

Because the Medical Board’s decision showed that the police officer could not perform his past work, he was entitled to receive SSD benefits. After making perfectly clear and highlighting the applicable medical and vocational rules for the State agency, the police officer’s SSD application was approved.

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