If you suffer from a severe medical condition, you may be unable to work for a significant amount of time. You may be suffering from chronic pain, debilitating physical obstructions or severe mental health problems that make working next to impossible.
While you may be entitled to disability benefits from the Social Security Administration (SSA), you may struggle to understand whether you are eligible or why you were denied benfits. This is partly because the qualifying conditions can be confusing. In many cases, you will need the support of a medical professional – or the consultation of an attorney – to establish whether you will be able to claim disability benefits. The following is an overview of the qualifying conditions specified by the SSA.
Finding your medical condition on the list of impairments
The SSA’s listing of impairments is organized by body part or bodily function. A huge range of mental and physical conditions are listed, and different lists apply to adults and to children under the age of 18.
Claiming benefits if your medical condition is not listed
Don’t be too concerned if you cannot find your medical condition on the list of impairments – judgments are made based on each specific case. It may be that you have multiple relatively minor conditions that combine to reduce your capacity to work on a sustained basis. If this is the case, you may still qualify for disability benefits. Also, even if you do not specifically meet or “equal” a listed impairment, you may still qualify for disability status based on your symptoms, including your pain and corresponding limitations
If you are unable to work because of a medical condition, you should take action to make sure that you are getting the benefits that you deserve. Understanding whether you have a qualifying condition can be confusing, and that’s why you should gain advice from an attorney.