Many people suffer from medical conditions or impairments so severe that they interfere with their ability to maintain gainful employment. When you’re unable to work due to an impairment you were born with or caused by injury or disease, you may wonder whether you’re entitled to receive Social Security Disability (SSD) benefits. So, what kinds of disabilities qualify for SSD payments? Read on to learn more from the South Carolina SSD lawyers of Land Parker Welch LLC.
Types of Disabilities That Qualify for SSD
Common examples of disabilities that may qualify applicants to receive Social Security disability benefits include:
- Musculoskeletal conditions: Examples include arthritis, reflex sympathetic dystrophy (RSD), fibromyalgia, chronic severe back pain (including degenerative disc disease), permanent soft tissue injuries, and amputation.
- Special senses and speech impairments: Vision or hearing loss, loss of touch (including the ability to feel heat or cold), disrupted inner ear balance, or permanent mouth or larynx damage impacting speech could all be qualifying disorders.
- Respiratory disorders: COPD, a lung transplant, and other respiratory problems may also meet the criteria for SSD benefits.
- Cardiovascular conditions: Angina, hypertension, aneurysm, heart disease, heart failure, arterial disease, heart transplant, heart attack, or stroke are examples.
- Digestive conditions: Crohn’s disease, IBD/IBS, short bowel syndrome, and liver disease could be qualifying impairments for disability benefits.
- Urinary tract disorders: Nephropathy, chronic kidney stones, or obstructed urine flow can prevent sufferers from working and make them eligible for SSD benefits.
- Hematological conditions: Examples include sickle cell disease, thrombosis, hemostasis disorder, or bone marrow transplants.
- Skin disorders: Severe burns and scar tissue, dermatitis, ichthyosis, bullous disease, hidradenitis suppurativa, photosensitivity, and other chronic skin infections may impair individuals so severely that they cannot work.
- Endocrine disorders: Disorders of the thyroid, pituitary gland, adrenal gland, or pancreas can cause chronic and potentially fatal conditions like diabetes.
- Congenital disorders that affect multiple body systems: Down syndrome, Tay-Sachs disease, Trisomy X syndrome, fragile X syndrome, or fetal alcohol syndrome can be debilitating.
- Neurological disorders: Cerebral palsy, epilepsy, Parkinson’s disease, ALS (Lou Gehrig’s disease), multiple sclerosis, or early-onset Alzheimer’s disease or dementia could qualify individuals for Social Security Disability benefits.
- Mental health disorders: Examples include mood disorders, anxiety, depression, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), schizophrenia, memory problems, or memory loss.
- Developmental disabilities: Autism-spectrum disorder is an example.
Cancer and malignant neoplastic disorders - Immune system disorders: This could include HIV/AIDS, lupus, systemic vasculitis, connective tissue disease, scleroderma, polymyositis, and more.
Listed vs. Non-Listed Impairments
Determining whether an applicant’s impairment qualifies them for SSD benefits begins with classifying their impairment as a listed impairment or a non-listed impairment.
A listed impairment refers to any physical or mental condition listed in the Social Security Administration’s Listing of Impairments, also known as the Blue Book. If an applicant has been diagnosed with a disorder recorded in the Blue Book, their condition is typically considered severe enough to warrant a disability designation.
However, even if an applicant does not have a medical condition listed in the Blue Book, they can still qualify for SSD benefits by proving they have a non-listed impairment. A non-listed impairment (which may include a combination of medical conditions) may be considered a disability if it can be proven that either:
- The condition has equal severity to another condition listed in the Blue Book.
- The condition renders the applicant unable to do any of the previous forms of work they performed or any other kind of gainful employment.
An applicant will need to furnish substantial medical evidence to prove that a non-listed impairment has caused them to become disabled. In many cases, the Social Security Administration may require an applicant to undergo independent medical evaluation (at no cost to the applicant) to determine if an impairment has caused a disability. However, many claims based on non-listed impairments are initially rejected for lack of sufficient medical evidence and records.
How an SSD Lawyer Can Help With Your Claim
If you wish to pursue an application for Social Security Disability benefits, an SSD lawyer from Land Parker Welch LLC can help with your claim by:
- Investigating your case, including securing medical records from your doctors to establish your disability based on Social Security Administration criteria
- Preparing and filing your SSD application and advocating on your behalf throughout the application review process
- Tracking the process of your SSD benefits claim and expediting the review process where possible
- Pursuing your claim through the administrative appeals process if your initial claim for benefits is denied
- Advising you regarding other disability benefit programs you may qualify for, such as state disability benefits or workers’ compensation
Let Our Team Help You Fight for Social Security Disability Benefits
For decades, the SSD lawyers of Land Parker Welch LLC have successfully represented injured and disabled individuals in Manning and across South Carolina. If you’re living with a disability, we can determine your rights and the best options for pursuing the SSD benefits you need.
Our family-run law firm focuses on helping disabled individuals get the financial assistance they are entitled to by law. When you cannot work due to an impairment, let us fight for the benefits you need to support yourself and live a full life.
If you have questions about what kinds of disabilities qualify for SSD benefits and whether you may be eligible, reach out to the attorneys of Land Parker Welch LLC today for a free case review.
