Struggling with a disability can be hard enough without wondering whether your primary needs will be covered by Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) or not. Second Chance Lawyer Merryl Jones is here to help. We help our clients understand the medical conditions that meet the requirements for SSDI, and working with a Social Security disability lawyer can help you get the benefits you deserve.
What Conditions Have SSDI Impairment Listings?
Recently, the medical requirements for receiving SSDI have been updated. The Social Security Administration’s impairment listings is where you’ll find whether or not your condition potentially qualifies you for benefits. These impairments include:
- Kidney Disease & Genitourinary Problems
- Cancer
- Blood Disorders (such as hemolytic or sickle cell anemia or bone marrow failure)
- Mental Disorders (such as depression, anxiety, autism, or intellectual disorder)
- Immune System Disorders (such as HIV/AIDS, lupus, and rheumatoid arthritis)
- Various Syndromes (such as Sjogren’s Syndrome and Marfan Syndrome)
- Skin Disorders (such as dermatitis and soft tissue injuries like burns)
- Digestive Tract Problems (such as liver disease and inflammatory bowel disease)
- Musculoskeletal Problems (such as back and joint injuries)
- Cardiovascular Conditions (such as heart failure or coronary artery disease)
- Sense & Speech Issues (such as vision and hearing loss)
- Respiratory Illnesses (such as COPD, cystic fibrosis, or asthma)
- Neurological Disorders (such as multiple sclerosis, cerebral palsy, Parkinson’s disease, or epilepsy)
How Do I Get My Disability for Listed Medical Conditions?
One of the first things you’ll need to do to obtain SSDI is to prove you have one of the above disabilities by getting a licensed doctor to diagnose your condition. Although you won’t receive automatic SSDI approval, it’s the first step. The only conditions that receive automatic approval are if you need an organ transplant, ALS (Lou Gehrig’s disease), start dialysis treatment or if you’ve been diagnosed with particularly serious cancer, such as anaplastic carcinoma of the thyroid gland, esophageal cancer, mucosal melanoma, and small-cell carcinoma.
Does Your Medical Condition Need to Match a Listing Exactly?
If you’re applying for SSDI, you might be wondering if your condition needs to exactly match the listings mentioned by the Social Security Administration (SSA), and the answer is no. To obtain SSDI, the SSA will take a look at all of the aspects of your case to inform their decision as to whether you qualify for benefits or not. They may consider your condition medically equivalent to one of the other conditions listed.
Additionally, even if you don’t meet the specific requirements of SSDI benefits, you may still be eligible to receive them if it’s determined that your condition is drastic enough to affect your work and daily activities. This is often referred to as vocationally qualifying for disability benefits, meaning your impairment affects your ability to do your job.
What Medical Evidence Do I Need to Qualify for SSDI?
There is a range of medical evidence you’ll need to present in your application or at your hearing to help you qualify for SSDI benefits. As we’ve already mentioned, the first step is being diagnosed by a physician. But you’ll also need:
- Blood test results
- Mental health records if alleging mental impairment
- Reports you’re being treated for your ailment
- Imaging results (such as x-rays, CT scans, etc.)
- Notes from examinations by your physician about your disability
Those who’ve been seeing a physician on a regular basis should speak with their doctor and tell them that they’re planning on filing for SSDI. Documenting the specific limitations of the illness and ensuring that all these limitations are noted in medical records will help build the case. If your physician agrees that your limitations prevent you from working, then it’s a good sign you may be eligible for benefits.
If you haven’t been seeing a doctor on a regular basis, doing so will certainly help improve your chances of receiving benefits. This is because you’ll need to have as much medical evidence as possible to demonstrate the extent of your illness. So, see a doctor regularly and begin collecting that documentation to prepare for filing for SSDI.
How Do I Apply for SSDI Benefits?
There are several ways you can apply for SSDI benefits, the first being filing online on the SSA’s website. You can also set up a telephone appointment at your local SSA office to discuss your options, or visit them in-person without an appointment, although this may not be an option these days due to COVID-19 concerns.
Things to Consider Before Applying
If you plan on applying for SSDI, there are some important things to consider that will help you prepare and also improve your chances. It’s important to have the names and contact information of all of the doctors and physicians you’ve been to since your impairments became severe. It’s also good to have the contact information from the places where you’ve worked over the last 15 years. These things, along with the required medical information, will ensure that you’re properly prepared for the filing process.
Since applying for SSDI benefits can be quite complicated, many choose to work with an SSDI lawyer. Working with an experienced lawyer can help ensure your application isn’t denied due to a lack of information. Additionally, many SSDI lawyers will have a working knowledge of the process and good relationships with local officials. They’ll understand what officials want to see on an application or at a hearing, and this can greatly improve your chances.
Let us be your Social Security Disability lawyer!
If you’re in need of an SSDI lawyer in Waco or Temple, TX, Merryl Jones – Second Chance Lawyer can help you navigate the application process, as well as work with you on any appeals or denials.
To learn more about applying for SSDI, contact us online today or call 1 (800) 749-3612.
