An individual can claim disability benefits from the Social Security Administration (SSA), a federal program, provided that he/she is suffering from a medical condition (disability) that makes it impossible for them to work for wages as they did previously. The basic requirement is that your disability matches their definition of disability. It has to be considered severe enough by the SSA to grant you the benefits.
SSA has a list of medical conditions that they have listed in a manual called the ‘blue book’. This blue book is used by the Disability Determination Service (DDS) of the state you reside in to establish if you qualify for disability benefits.
The SSA has broadly categorized the impairments in two groups: Adult listing (Part A) and Childhood listing (Part B). Adult listings are further divided into 14 different categories. These are:
- Musculoskeletal system: Herniated discs, Degenerative Disc Disease
- Special senses and speech: Hearing or Vision loss
- Respiratory disorders: Asthma
- Cardiovascular system: High Blood Pressure, Blood Clots, Heart Failure
- Digestive disorders: Crohn’s disease, Hepatitis
- Genitourinary system: Dialysis and Renal Disease
- Hematological disorders: Chronic Anemia, Sickle Cell Anemia
- Skin disorders: Cellulitis,
- Endocrine disorders: Thyroid Disease and Obesity
- Congenital disorders that affect multiple body systems: Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome, Fetal Alcohol Syndrome
- Neurological disorders: Epilepsy and Cerebral Palsy
- Mental disorders: Schizophrenia, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder
- Cancer (Malignant neoplastic diseases)
- Immune system disorders: HIV, Lupus
List of impairments in children under 18 years of age (Part B) contains all the impairments listed in Part A. Additionally it also contains low birth weight and failure to thrive as a listing. For a detailed understanding of these impairments visit www.ssa.gov.
What if your condition is not included in the blue book?
The battle is not lost if you find that your medical condition is not listed in the blue book. While the blue book serves as a reference guide for the state disability determination services to establish your disability, it also helps in cases where your medical condition is not listed in it. In such cases, SSA will try to equal your current medical condition with an impairment listed in the blue book. Additionally, the severity of your conditions can also be a factor in establishing your disability. If you are able to show enough evidence that clearly indicates that your disability stops you from working for wages, then you will be eligible to claim the benefits.
Required evidence in support of your claim
SSA needs evidence to support your claim. It is your responsibility to provide the authorities with accurate and appropriate evidence that supports your claim and qualifies you for disability benefits. Here is a short checklist of documents required for submitting your claim.
- Proof that establishes that you have an impairment or disability.
- All the documentation that clearly shows the timeline of your disability and all the subsequent treatment plans.
- Documentation that indicates the severity of your disability or medical condition. To what extent does the impairment affect your ability to seek employment.
- All your medical reports and records from your healthcare team including any bloodwork or other test reports like MRI, other scans, biopsy, etc.
- SSA may request for a Consultative Examination (CE) reports in some cases.
Seek professional help
You can make this whole process of applying for disability benefits a smooth affair by seeking professional advice on your case. An attorney who specializes in SSDI will be your go-to person in this case. If you are looking for one, your search ends here. Speak with one of the best SSDI attorneys and get what you deserve in a smart and timely manner. We will be happy to represent you. Reach us on (888) 656-7675 and for your free consultation now.
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