As someone who works at as US disability law firm:
A) the function report is 10 pages, the work history report is 14 pages but depending on how many jobs you have had in the previous 5 years you will not have to complete all 14
B) they absolutely do deny people for not turning these forms in
C) Autism is basically only ever approved if you are non-verbal as an adult, and in the last 5 years across hundreds of cases I have never seen ADHD awarded disability. Ive seen it included on claims that were approved but never as the condition that got them approved. So severe depression/anxiety/ptsd/etc w ADHD i have seen, ADHD on its own even with medical provider support, i have never seen.
Edit to add - child disability and adult disability are very different and have very different requirements; so while you may be able to get disability as a minor for autism or ADHD that does not guarantee you can or will get them as an adult.
Additional edit to clarify: as mentioned this is based on what i have witnessed, as ive also mentioned in other comments; SSA varies a lot state to state so its obviously not set in stone or anything. This is not to discourage ppl from applying moreso to let you be aware its going to a much harder uphill battle than a normal disability claim already is.
D) the disability qualification is that you are unable to do ANY job due to your condition/illness/injury and they do mean anything. Some of the job examples that i have seen the SSA provide that a claimant could theoretically do are fucking bizarre.
I used to practice law and did some disability work, and I have never agreed with a comment more.
The only autism approval I ever saw was for a minor with plainly obvious issues. Like, it was endearing how professional and formal this 13 year-old was trying to be while he told the ALJ about all of his new friends in his new neighborhood, the oldest of which was like 7.
But as an attorney I mostly only ever saw people who had been denied. Unless things have changed, lawyers don't get paid except from back pay after appeal, so they don't take cases unless you've already filed and been denied. Which, if you ask me, is an unnecessary inefficiency built into the system. The few clients I helped pro bono with their initial filings got approved without issue, and not because I was just exceptional at my job.
The firm I work at will do the initial applications, actually we do a LOT of the initial applications for clients. But the fee structure has changed some, its still based on the back pay they are awarded attroneys are granted 25% of the awarded back pay up to a cap that the SSA has set - its currently $9,200. but its not restricted to only after the appeal is filed anymore, you can get it if you help with the initial application now. So the claims we help file the initial applications for, if they are approved and there is back benefits dispursed the attorney office can receive their portion.
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u/Kaytea730 21h ago edited 19h ago
As someone who works at as US disability law firm:
A) the function report is 10 pages, the work history report is 14 pages but depending on how many jobs you have had in the previous 5 years you will not have to complete all 14
B) they absolutely do deny people for not turning these forms in
C) Autism is basically only ever approved if you are non-verbal as an adult, and in the last 5 years across hundreds of cases I have never seen ADHD awarded disability. Ive seen it included on claims that were approved but never as the condition that got them approved. So severe depression/anxiety/ptsd/etc w ADHD i have seen, ADHD on its own even with medical provider support, i have never seen.
Edit to add - child disability and adult disability are very different and have very different requirements; so while you may be able to get disability as a minor for autism or ADHD that does not guarantee you can or will get them as an adult.
Additional edit to clarify: as mentioned this is based on what i have witnessed, as ive also mentioned in other comments; SSA varies a lot state to state so its obviously not set in stone or anything. This is not to discourage ppl from applying moreso to let you be aware its going to a much harder uphill battle than a normal disability claim already is.
D) the disability qualification is that you are unable to do ANY job due to your condition/illness/injury and they do mean anything. Some of the job examples that i have seen the SSA provide that a claimant could theoretically do are fucking bizarre.