Why might SSA not approve a disability claim based on pain alone without a diagnosed condition?

The Social Security Administration (SSA) relies on a medically determinable impairment (MDI) as a foundational requirement for disability claims. An MDI is a physical or mental condition that can be verified through clinical or laboratory findings, providing an objective basis for the claim. When a claimant reports pain but does not have an underlying diagnosed condition, there may be no clinical evidence to support the existence of a legitimate medical condition that causes the pain.

Without a diagnosed condition, the SSA cannot assess the severity or impact of the pain on the individual’s daily life or work capacity. This makes it challenging to prove the legitimacy of the claim and its basis for entitlement to disability benefits. Therefore, the requirement for an MDI is critical, especially in pain-related claims, where subjective reports of pain must be corroborated by objective medical evidence to establish eligibility.