{"data":{"id":"us/20-cfr-404.1521","jurisdiction":"us","citation":"20 CFR 404.1521","heading":"Establishing that you have a medically determinable impairment(s).","body":"If you are not doing substantial gainful activity, we will then determine whether you have a medically determinable physical or mental impairment(s) (see § 404.1520(a)(4)(ii)). Your impairment(s) must result from anatomical, physiological, or psychological abnormalities that can be shown by medically acceptable clinical and laboratory diagnostic techniques. Therefore, a physical or mental impairment must be established by objective medical evidence from an acceptable medical source. We will not use your statement of symptoms, a diagnosis, or a medical opinion to establish the existence of an impairment(s). After we establish that you have a medically determinable impairment(s), then we determine whether your impairment(s) is severe.","path":["Title 20—Employees' Benefits","CHAPTER III—SOCIAL SECURITY ADMINISTRATION","PART 404—FEDERAL OLD-AGE, SURVIVORS AND DISABILITY INSURANCE (1950- )","Subpart P—Determining Disability and Blindness"],"source_url":"https://www.ecfr.gov/api/versioner/v1/full/2026-08-25/title-20.xml","current_through":"2026-08-25","vintage":"","retrieved_at":"2026-08-27T02:24:45Z","sha256":"31382533e0951b51e537fe3d37ff939d12cd39d3f45f578a17c955a4224919ca","source_id":"us-cfr","stale":true,"prev":"us/20-cfr-404.1520c","next":"us/20-cfr-404.1522"},"notice":"GroundRules: Original legal text. Not legal advice."}