42 U.S.C. § 420
Section 420 · Disability provisions inapplicable if benefit rights impaired
This is § 220 of the Social Security Act of 1935
Amended 2 times on record
Applied in 6 court decisions — leading case Vitti v. Allstate Insurance (1998)
Most recently applied in 214 F. Supp. 2d 188 - Raymond v. Barnhart (May 2002)
How often courts cite this section
Court decisions citing this, by year.Markers show enactment, consequential amendments, and circuit splits over this section — watch for a citation surge after a change or a disagreement. The dip in the last several years is a data-coverage gap, not a real trend — our corpus holds fewer opinions from the most recent years, so recent citations are undercounted.
None of the provisions of this subchapter relating to periods of disability shall apply in any case in which their application would result in the denial of monthly benefits or a lump-sum death payment which would otherwise be payable under this subchapter; nor shall they apply in the case of any monthly benefit or lump-sum death payment under this subchapter if such benefit or payment would be greater without their application.
Editorial notes U.S. Code · Office of the Law Revision Counsel
Prior Provisions
A prior section 420, act Aug. 14, 1935, ch. 531, title II, §220, as added July 18, 1952, ch. 945, §3(e), 66 Stat. 772, relating to inapplicability of disability provisions if benefits were reduced, ceased to be in effect at the close of June 30, 1953. See Effective and Termination Date of 1952 Amendment note set out under section 413 of this title.