Amputation
Serving the Western United States
Amputation and Social Security Disability Benefits
Amputation can be described as the removal of an individual’s limb(s) due to severe injury and/or medical need for removal of said extremity. The medical conditions that require amputation vary, but most stem from the need to inhibit the spread of degenerative diseases/injuries to the rest of the body. More often than not, these operations are unavoidable and can severely hinder any person who is involved.
The restrictions of an amputee are based around physical limitations, but can also become psychological in most cases. Undoubtedly, the loss of any of an individual’s limbs will limit their mobility around the workplace and ability to perform meticulous forms of labor. Occupations that require several instances calling for the use of legs (walking, standing, etc.) or arms (carrying, writing, etc.), would most likely be unavailable to an amputee, depending on the location of said affected limb. Emotional trauma, due to the either the accident that caused the amputation, or the sheer shock of having to remove one’s limb, can debilitate a person’s work ethic. Prosthetics can provide a strong sense of reassurance within amputees, but the rigor of the rehabilitation process may also exhaust the individual.
Amputation and Applying for California Social Security Disability Benefits
Acquiring disability benefits for amputations is simple, as long you fall under Social Security’s Listing, which goes as follows;
- Both hands; or
- One or both lower extremities at or above the tarsal region, with stump complications resulting in medical inability to use a prosthetic device to ambulate effectively, as defined in 1.00B2b, which have lasted or are expected to last for at least 12 months; or
- One hand and one lower extremity at or above the tarsal region, with inability to ambulate effectively, as defined in 1.00B2b; or
- Hemipelvectomy or hip disarticulation
To reiterate, falling under any of these categories will give an individual a strong claim. Not to be discouraged, even if an individual does not strictly meet the criteria, there are several factors that will enable them to prevail in their claim; such as age, education, and work experience. There are also cases of certain phenomena, such as phantom limb, that will be cause for exception. Phantom limb comes as a result of amputation, and common symptoms involve the patient feeling sensations as if the limb were never removed. In severe cases the condition can cause so much pain and/or discomfort that doing any type of work is almost impossible. Prosthetics, although meant to aid the amputee, can also come with complications. Inadequate prosthetics can come after several years of use, due to shrinking stumps (a common occurrence). Although adjustments can be made to accommodate this condition, the fix is temporary at most. Back injuries amongst leg amputees are not unheard of, due to the fact that the individual can develop an unnatural walking motion. That type of injury can restrict an individual to a sit-down job at best.
All amputation claims have the potential to win.
To increase your chances of winning your Social Security Disability claim it is important for you to hire an experienced Social Security Disability attorney to get you the Social Security Disability help you deserve. Please call us at 1-800-882-5500 or fill out a form on our website for a FREE claim evaluation.
