Disabling Conditions
Serving the Western United States
The most significant part of claiming Social Security is proving that you are disabled –meaning that you have a physical or mental condition that prohibits you from performing any substantial, gainful activity. This disability must have lasted a year, is anticipated to last a year, or is expected to be fatal. These factors prevent claimants from attempting to collect benefits if they have a short-term or partial disability, since Social Security income is only for those who suffer total disability.
However, the determination of whether or not you are ‘disabled’ leaves room for dispute. Just because your doctor says you are unfit to work, or if you feel too ill or mentally incapable or working, the Social Security Administration (SSA) will not necessarily agree. For this reason, it is important that you have a Social Security Disability benefits attorney on your side, fighting for your right to collect benefits.
The Evaluation of Your Disability
The SSA evaluates claimants’ disabilities using its own team of medical professionals, based on its specific and strict guidelines. The following factors will determine if you qualify under the SSA’s guidelines:
- Inability to work: your physical or mental condition must prohibit you from performing the responsibilities of your job on a daily basis.
- Maximum earnings: if you continued to work after becoming disabled, you must not have earned (or cannot currently earn) over $860 per month or more during the first 12 months of your disability.
- Qualifying disability: your disability must be listed on the SSA’s “list of impairments” or be otherwise approved by the administration’s medical team.
Even if you meet only the requirements for maximum earnings and the inability to work, your condition may still qualify if:
- Your condition prevents you from consistently performing the work you did prior to your disability
- You are not able to adjust to another type of work
Examples of Disabling Conditions
The SSA’s “list of impairments” is extensive. The categories range from cardiovascular system conditions and skin disorders to mental disorders, speech impairments immune system disorders and impairments that affect multiple body systems.
A few examples of the SSA’s disabling conditions include:
Musculoskeletal System
- Amputation
- Anterior Poliomyelitis
- Degenerative Disc Disease
- Major Dysfunction of a Joint
- Disorders of the Spine
- Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
- Fibromyalgia
- Fracture of the Femur
- Fracture of the Tibia
- Fracture of the Pelvis
- Fracture of the Upper Extremity
- Herniated Disc
- Inflammatory Arthritis
- Lumbar Stenosis
- Muscular Dystrophy
- Spinal Arachnoiditis
- Osteoarthritis
- Reflex sympathetic disorder
- Rheumatoid arthritis
- Ruptured disc
- Soft tissue injury (burns)
- Undifferentiated and mixed connective tissue disease
Special Senses and Speech
- Vision loss
- Otolaryngology (hearing loss)
- Meniere’s disease
- Loss of speech
Respiratory System
- Asthma
- Emphysema
- Sarcoidosis
- Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD)
- Lung Transplant
- Bronchiectasis
- Pneumoconiosis
- Chronis Restrictive Ventilatory Disease
- Mycobacterial, Mycotic, and Other Chronic Lung Infections
- Sleep Related Breathing Disorders
Cardiovascular System
- Chronic Venous Insufficiency
- Cor Pulmonale Secondary Chronic Pulmonary Hypertension
- Heart Failure
- Heart Transplant
- Ischemic Heart Disease
- Left Ventricular Assist Device
- Recurrent Arrhythmia
- Peripheral Artery Disease (PAD)
- Aneurysm of the Aorta or Major Branches
- Symptomatic Congenital Heart Disease
Digestive System
- Crohn’s Disease
- Colitis
- Kidney Failure
- Liver Disease
- Primary Biliary Cirrhosis
- Hepatitis
- Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD)
- Primary Sclerosing Cholangitis
- Short Bowel Syndrome
- Wilson’s Disease
- Cirrhosis
Genitourinary Impairments
Hematological Disorders
- Aplastic Anemia with Bone Marrow or Stem Cell Transplantation
- Chronic Anemia
- Chronic Granulocytopenia
- Sickle Cell Disease
- Chronic Thrombocytopenia
- Coagulation Defects and Hemophelia
- Hereditary Telangiectasia
- Hemochromatosis
- Liver Transplantation
- Multiple Myeloma
- Polycythemia Vera
- Systemic Vasculitis
Skin Disorders
- Bullous Diseases
- Burns
- Chronic Skin Diseases
- Dermatitis
- Dermatomyositis
- Genetic Photosensitivity Disorders
- Ichthyosis
Endocrine Disorders
- Adrenal Gland Disorders
- Diabetes
- Obesity
- Parathyroid Gland Disorders
- Pituitary Gland Disorders
- Thyroid Gland Disorders
Impairments that Affect Multiple Body Systems
- Mosaic/Non-mosaic Down Syndrome
- Trisomy X Syndrome (XXX Syndrome)
- Fragile X Syndrome
- Phenylketonuria (PKU)
- Caudal Regression Syndrome
- Fetal Alcohol Syndrome
Neurological
- Cerebral Palsy
- Epilepsy
- Neuropathy
- Seizure Disorder
- Stroke (Cerebrovascular Accident)
- Myasthenia Gravis
- Traumatic Brain Injury
- Parkinson’s Disease
- Syringomyelia
Mental Disorders
- Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder
- Anxiety Disorder
- Autism
- Bipolar Disorder
- Depression
- Drug Addiction
- Mood Disorder
- Organic Mental Disorders
- Panic Attacks
- Post Traumatic Stress Disorder
- Schizophrenia
Malignant Neoplastic Diseases
- Acute Leukemia
- Cancer
- Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia
- Chronic Myelogenous Leukemia
- Lymphoma
- Macroglobulinemia
- Mesothelioma
- Myelofibrosis
Immune System Disorders
If you were denied disability benefits and you believe you have a qualifying condition, please contact the qualified Social Security Disability benefit attorneys at Law Offices of Fred J. Fleming today. Our knowledgeable SSD lawyers will fight for your rights and help you get your claim approved so you can collect the money you deserve.