Sickle Cell Disease
Sickle Cell Disease and Social Security Disability Benefits
Sickle Cell Disease, or Sickle Cell Anemia, is a blood disorder in which blood cells take the shape of a sickle/crescent instead of the traditional circular blood cell. The difference in shape is very impactful because in the form of a crescent, blood cells cannot transport nearly as much oxygen as regular cells and they are more prone to get stuck in smaller blood vessels. These complications do not allow the blood to transport enough oxygen to the systems of the body. Common symptoms are fatigue, rapid heart rate, and jaundice. Also, sufferers of sickle cell anemia experience episodes of excruciating pain (referred to as crises) that can debilitate them greatly; these crises are a result of blockages in blood vessels due to the shape of the affected blood vessels.
Individuals will be limited in what they can do by how frequent the pain crises are and by exertion limitations. The body is not receiving the adequate amount of oxygen it needs to function, so individuals suffer from fatigue and will not be able to function efficiently. The crises are so severe that they will incapacitate someone until that particular episode passes.
Sickle Cell Disease and Social Security Disability Help
If the applicant’s impairment falls within any of the following categories set forth by Social Security’s Listing 7.05, then a strong claim may exist. The Listing is as follows;
- Documented painful (thrombotic) crises occurring at least three times during the 5 months prior to adjudication; or
- Requiring extended hospitalization (beyond emergency care) at least three times during the 12 months prior to adjudication; or
- Chronic, severe anemia with persistence of hematocrit of 26% or less; or
- Evaluate the resulting impairment under the criteria for the affected body system.
Sickle Cell Anemia is a very serious disease and all cases have a chance to prevail due to this fact. The weakness accompanied with this illness is enough to disqualify an individual from a number of different jobs. Also, the painful crises that these individuals suffer will render them unable to work at all until the episode passes.
