As a case manager at Greeman Toomey Law Office I talk to many of our clients who are interested in pursuing a Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) or Supplemental Security Income (SSI) case based on one debilitating condition. Although one specific disability may be perceived to be the reason you are unable to work it may not be the only condition that limits your ability to work.
What Social Security disability boils down to in SSDI and SSI cases is whether your collective disabilities limit your ability to work. Any condition that prevents you from working at a Substantial Gainful Activity (SGA) level, or prevents you from continuing to sustain that level of work, is important information to document.
There is no doubt that some conditions are more severe than others. Even though a claimant may believe one specific condition is preventing them from working, in reality, that condition can be exacerbated by other conditions a claimant believes to be less severe.
There are times when a condition is so severe that the Social Security Administration considers it to automatically qualify for SSDI or SSI benefits, provided the conditions meet the specified criteria as set forth in Social Security’s listing manual. Below are conditions that can meet automatic qualifying criteria, if a claimant can prove that their impairment meets specific standards:
- Musculoskeletal Conditions (Example: Back Injuries)
- Cardiovascular Conditions (Example: Heart Failure or Coronary Artery Disease)
- Sense and Speech Conditions (Example: Vision and Hearing Loss)
- Respiratory Illness (Example: COPD or Asthma)
- Neurological Disorders (Example: MS, Cerebral Palsy, Parkinson’s, Epilepsy)
- Mental Illness (Example: Depression, Anxiety, Schizophrenia, Retardation)
- Immune System Disorders (Example: HIV/AIDS, Lupus, Rheumatoid Arthritis)
- Syndromes (Example: Sjogren’s Syndrome, Marfan Syndrome)
- Skin Disorders (Example: Dermatitis)
- Digestive Tract Conditions (Example: Liver Disease, IBD)
- Kidney Disease and Genitourinary System Problems
- Cancer
For more information visit: http://www.disabilitysecrets.com/what-conditions-qualify.html.
