Social Security Disability Blog

Inflammatory arthritis is a disability often causing inflammation – and distinct pain, in joints.  It frequently is associated with swelling and tenderness.  It is associated with disorders such as Rheumatoid arthritis, Sjogren’s syndrome, Psoriatic arthritis, gout and psuedo-gout, lyme disease, and inflammatory bowel syndrome. The pain and other symptoms may result in difficulty with many forms of movement, and may effect one’s ability to work. The Social Security Administration (SSA) evaluates inflammatory arthritis under listing 14.09 of the Impairment Listing Manual.  The regulation references persistent inflammation or persistent deformity of …weight-bearing joints resulting in the inability to ambulate effectively or … the inability to perform More...

If you have Degenerative Disk Disease and are unable to work as a result of your diagnosis, you may be entitled to Social Security Disability benefits. The Social Security Administration (SSA) classifies Degenerative Disk Disease as a disorder of the spine under Listing 1.04 of the Impairment Listing Manual. When filing a claim for disability benefits with a diagnosis of Degenerative Disk Disease, it is important to have medical records showing evidence of the following criteria, set forth in Listing 1.04: 1. Nerve root compression characterized by neuro-anatomic distribution of pain, limitation of motion of the spine, motor loss (atrophy with associated muscle weakness or More...

No doubt that receiving a diagnosis of cancer is both traumatic and overwhelming. You may be unable to work and keep up with their normal everyday lifestyles as a result. Depending on the nature of the cancer, you may be eligible to qualify them to receive Social Security Disability Insurance benefits (SSDI) or Supplemental Security Income benefits (SSI).   Certain cancers make an applicant immediately eligible to start receiving benefits. Based on the cancer diagnosis alone, the following types of cancers garner immediate approval: metastatic brain or spinal cord carcinoma, inflammatory breast cancer, mesothelioma of the pleura, small cell cancer of the lungs, primary cancer More...

Down syndrome is caused by an individual having an extra chromosome. In the United States, 1 in every 691 babies are born with Down syndrome, making it the most common genetic condition. The genetic condition affects each child’s course of development differently. Some of the most common physical traits are small stature, slanted eyes, and low muscle tone. https://ndss.org/about If your child has been diagnosed with non-mosaic Down syndrome and meets SSA’s financial requirements, he or she will automatically start receiving SSI payments. You can prove your child’s non-mosaic Down syndrome disability by a laboratory test or by obtaining a report from your child’s physician. The More...

Many people suffer from anxiety, and some have anxiety levels that are disabling.  The Social Security Administration evaluates mental disorders under a specific type of regulation called “12.06.”  To qualify as an anxiety disorder under 12.06, anxiety must be either the predominant disturbance or experienced as a result of an individual’s attempts to master symptoms. In order for an anxiety disorder to be sufficiently severe for the SSA to render a finding of disabled, the requirements in section A and B or in A and C of 12.06 must be satisfied. There are 5 ways in which an individual can satisfy section A through production More...

The final rule that makes changes to the listing for Congenital Disorders that Affect Multiple Body Systems (Listing 110.00) went into effect on April 5, 2013. The disorders evaluated under this listing and affected by the changes include non-mosaic Down syndrome and catastrophic congenital disorders such as anencephaly, cyclopia, Patau syndrome, and Edwards’ syndrome, among others. Non-mosaic Down syndrome is listed under 110.06. The evidence the Social Security Administration (SSA) looks at when evaluating a claim under 110.06 centers around laboratory findings, specifically a report of karyotype analysis, the determinative test to establish non-mosaic Down syndrome. However, if you do not have a karyotype analysis More...

As former Commissioners of the Social Security Administration (SSA), we write to express our significant concerns regarding a series recently aired on This American Life, All Things Considered, and National Public Radio stations across the U.S. (“Unfit for Work: The Startling Rise of Disability in America”). Our nation’s Social Security system serves as a vital lifeline for millions of individuals with severe disabilities. We feel compelled to share our unique insight into the Social Security system because we know firsthand the dangers of mischaracterizing the disability programs via sensational, anecdote-based media accounts, leaving vulnerable beneficiaries to pick up the pieces. Approximately 1 in 5 of our fellow Americans live with disabilities, More...

How your assets and income may affect your eligibility to receive Supplemental Security Income benefits.   Current income and assets do not affect one’s eligibility to receive Social Security Disability benefits (SSDI) because it is paid for out of workers’ tax contributions.   If you do not qualify for SSDI benefits but are suffering from a disabling condition, you may qualify for Supplemental Security Income (SSI). SSI is another federal program but works differently than SSDI. SSI is need-based program for those individuals with little to no income and low resources.   How much can you own in assets and still qualify for SSI? As More...

If you have had or are facing the possibility of having a liver transplant, it is a strong possibility that you will be eligible for Social Security Disability benefits as a result of this procedure. A Liver Transplant is a condition that qualifies an individual to receive disability benefits under the Social Security Administration’s listing manual. Put simply, a person who receives a liver transplant will automatically be presumed to be disabled for a period of 1 year following the operation, and will receive disability benefits. After the year is up, you still may be eligible to receive your benefits, but the Social Security Administration More...

Each year the Social Security Administration (SSA) publishes an updated version of The Red Book, which serves as a source of information regarding employment related provisions of the Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) programs. The most recent version of The Red Book was released in January 2013 and is available on SSA’s website at: http://www.socialsecurity.gov/redbook/. New to the 2013 Red Book are several Automatic Adjustments, including changes to the income threshold for Substantial Gainful Activity (SGA) and the Federal Benefit Rate (FBR), among other important numbers that disability claimants and professionals who serve those with disabilities should be aware of. An More...