“Lupus” is generally used as a shorthand for systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). There are other forms of this condition, including three types of lupus of the skin, a type of lupus that is triggered by certain prescription drugs, and a type of lupus that only affects newborns. However, SLE is the most common type of lupus, accounting for about 70% of all cases. And, it’s the only type of lupus that has its own Social Security Blue Book listing.
Symptoms of Lupus
The most common symptoms include fatigue, fever, weight loss, hair loss, skin rash, chest pain when taking a deep breath, sensitivity to sunlight, mouth sores, and swollen lymph nodes. This disease can also have a serious impact on organs and body systems, including:
Kidneys
Heart
Lungs
Nervous system
Digestive tract
Circulation
Blood
While many people live and work successfully with this condition, some symptoms can be debilitating.
Qualifying for SSDI Under the Blue Book Listing
Under the Blue Book listing for SLE, the applicant must either:
Suffer from systemic lupus erythematosus with involvement of two or more organs/systems and:
At least one organ or system is involved at a level of at least moderate severity, AND
Suffers at least two constitutional signs or symptoms (severe fatigue, fever, malaise or involuntary weight loss
OR
Repeated manifestations of SLE with at least two of the constitutional symptoms listed above AND at least one of the following at a marked level:
Limitation of activities of daily living, OR
Limitation in maintaining social functioning, OR
Limitation in the ability to complete tasks in a timely manner due to deficiencies in concentration, persistence or pace
Qualifying for SSDI for Lupus If You Don’t Meet the Blue Book Listing
If you believe you are disabled by SLE but don’t meet the Blue Book criteria, believe you are disabled by another type of lupus, or suffer from this disease along with other conditions that in combination prevent you from earning a living, there is another possible way to qualify.
The alternative process involves assessing your residual functional capacity–how much work you can do in spite of your medical conditions–and then using other factors to determine whether there is still work you can do. That analysis considers factors such as your age, your highest level of education, the types of work you have performed in the past, and what skills may carry over to other types of work.
Get the Help You Need with Your SSDI Claim
Many SSDI applications are denied simply because the applicant didn’t provide sufficient medical information to support a finding of disability. At Disability Help Group, we know exactly what type of information the Social Security Administration (SSA) is looking for and how to put together the strongest application possible.
To learn more about how we can help, call 800-800-3332 or fill out our contact form here.
Kidney disease, like most other medical conditions, may or may not qualify a person for Social Security disability (SSDI) benefits. To qualify for SSDI benefits, an applicant must:
Have accrued sufficient work credits to be eligible for SSDI, and
The number of work credits required depends in part on how old you were when you became disabled.
To meet the SSA definition of disability, you must be unable to engage in substantial gainful activity (SGA) because of a medical condition or combination of conditions. In addition, that disability must have lasted or be expected to last for at least 12 months, or be expected to end in death.
Proving You are Disabled By Kidney Disease
There are two ways an applicant can be found disabled by the SSA. The first is to meet or equal a listing in the Social Security Blue Book. The other is more complicated.
The Blue Book has listings for several types of kidney disease and related conditions, including:
Chronic kidney disease with chronic hemodialysis or peritoneal dialysis
Chronic kidney disease with kidney transplant
Chronic kidney disease with impairment of kidney function
Nephrotic syndrome
Complications of chronic kidney disease
Each has its own set of requirements to be deemed disabled. Some are fairly simple. For example, an SSDI applicant who has undergone a kidney transplant is considered disabled for one year after the transplant. After that, they will be assessed based on residual effects of the transplant.
Others are more complicated. For instance, chronic kidney disease with impairment of kidney function requires:
Serum creatinine of 4 mg/dL or more, OR
Creatinine clearance of 20 ml/min or less, OR
Estimated eGFR of 20 ml/min/1.73m2 or less
Two of these test results are required, at least 90 days apart but in the same 12-month period. In addition, the applicant must show one of the following:
Renal osteodystrophy with severe bone pain and imaging documenting bone abnormalities, OR
Peripheral neuropathy, OR
Fluid overload syndrome with specific types of documentation, OR
Or anorexia with weight loss to a documented BMI of 18 or less on at least two occasions at least 90 days apart but in the same 12-month period
An experienced SSDI advocate can walk you through the Blue Book requirements for your condition and help ensure you have the documentation you need.
If you don’t meet the Blue Book criteria, you may still qualify for SSDI for kidney disease, or a combination of kidney disease and some other condition. To determine whether you are disabled, the SSA will look at the level of work you are capable of considering your medical limitations, then factor in other variables such as your age, educational level and past work experience.
Get Help with Your SSDI Application for Kidney Disease
The SSDI application and appeals processes can be daunting. To learn more about how an experienced advocate can help, call 800-800-3332 or fill out our contact form right now.
The symptoms of cerebral palsy vary in type and severity. That means some people who suffer from cerebral palsy will qualify for Social Security disability (SSDI) benefits and some will not. This post provides general information about eligibility for SSDI for cerebral palsy, but there’s no substitute for advice from an experienced disability benefits advocate. To learn more about your rights, call us at 800-800-3332 or fill out our contact form.
Qualifying for SSDI With Cerebral Palsy
To receive SSDI for cerebral palsy or any other condition, you must qualify in two different ways. First, you must be technically eligible for Social Security benefits. Second, you must meet the Social Security Administration (SSA) definition of “disabled.”
Most SSDI applicants must have a sufficient number of Social Security work credits to qualify for disability benefits. The number credits required varies depending on how old the applicant was when they became disabled. For many who are applying due to cerebral palsy, though, the test is different. That’s because cerebral palsy typically onsets at birth or in very early childhood. That means someone who is disabled by cerebral palsy may never have been able to work.
When someone becomes disabled before the age of 22, they may be able to qualify based on the work record of a parent. However, that option is only available when the parent is deceased (and had accrued sufficient work credits to qualify for Social Security benefits) or is receiving Social Security retirement or disability benefits.
Meeting the SSA Definition of Disability
An applicant may qualify for SSDI for cerebral palsy by meeting the Blue Book listing for the condition, or by showing that they are unable to engage in substantial gainful activity (SGA).
The Blue Book criteria are met if the applicant either:
Suffers from disorganization of motor function in two extremities resulting in extreme limitation in the ability to stand from a seated position, balance while standing or walking, or the ability to use upper extremities, OR
Marked limitation in physical function and in at least one of:
Understanding, remembering or applying information
Interacting with others
Concentrating, persisting or maintaining pace
Adapting or managing oneself, OR
Significant interference with communication due to speech, hearing or visual deficit
If the applicant doesn’t qualify under the criteria above, they may still receive benefits if the SSA concludes, based on their physical and mental limitations, educational level, age and past work experience, that they cannot earn a living.
Talk to a Disability Benefits Advocate Today
Whether you’re applying for SSDI benefits or appealing a denial, the process can be complicated. The experienced advocates at Disability Help Group have learned the intricacies of the process and the types of evidence the SSA is looking for so you don’t have to. To learn more about how we can help, call 800-800-3332 today.
Do My Migraines Qualify Me for Disability Benefits?
If you suffer from migraines, you know how debilitating they can be. While people unfamiliar with migraines may think of them as “just a headache,” migraine sufferers may experience symptoms such as:
Severe, throbbing pain
Nausea
Vomiting
Extreme sensitivity to light and sound
Auras
Visual disturbances
Tingling sensations
Difficulty speaking
Dizziness / vertigo
Some episodes of migraine may only last a few hours, while others may last for days. Some people have success with migraine medications while others do not. In other words, some people may experience migraines as a sporadic interruption or treatable condition, while others may experience serious disruptions in day-to-day life.
If migraines prevent you from earning a living, you may be entitled to Social Security disability (SSDI) benefits.
Demonstrating Disability to Qualify for SSDI
To receive SSDI benefits, you must meet the Social Security Administration (SSA) definition of “disabled.” That means that your medical condition or conditions leaves you unable to engage in “substantial gainful activity” (SGA) and that disability has lasted or is expected to last for at least 12 months or to be fatal.
There are two different ways to demonstrate that you are unable to engage in SGA. The first, and simplest, is to meet the criteria for a listing in the Social Security Blue Book. Unfortunately, migraines are not listed in the Blue Book. That means someone pursuing SSDI for migraines must either meet the criteria for a different listing–perhaps an underlying condition that causes the migraines–or through a broad analysis.
When an SSDI applicant doesn’t qualify under a Blue Book listing, the SSA looks at the applicant’s residual functional capacity. That’s the maximum level of work the applicant can still perform despite their medical limitations. Then, the SSA looks to the appropriate grid to consider other factors such as the applicant’s age, the type of work they have done in the past, whether they have transferable skills and their highest level of education.
Get Help with Your SSDI Application for Migraines
Most SSDI applications are initially denied. You can improve your chances of approval on initial application or prevailing on appeal by ensuring that you provide exactly the type of documentation the SSA is looking for. At Disability Help Group, our advocates have developed deep knowledge of the application and appeals processes and the evidence required to establish various types of claims. To learn about how we can help you submit the strongest application or appeal possible, call 800-800-3332 right now or fill out our contact form here.
Does Hashimoto’s Disease Qualify for Disability Benefits?
Any medical condition that prevents a person from engaging in substantial gainful activity for at least a year can potentially qualify for Social Security disability (SSDI) benefits. Hashimoto’s disease is no exception. However, understanding how best to approach an SSDI application for Hashitoto’s disease and what type of evidence is required can be challenging. In part, that’s because the condition doesn’t have its own listing in the Social Security Blue Book.
Pursuing SSDI for Hashimoto’s Disease
There are two ways to qualify for SSDI benefits. One is to meet or equal a listing in the Blue Book. The other is based on a more holistic assessment of your ability to perform work.
Hashimoto’s Disease and the Social Security Blue Book
As mentioned above, there is no specific Blue Book listing for Hashimoto’s disease. To make matters more complicated, the condition is classified as an endocrine disorder. While endocrine disorders have their own section in the Blue Book, they don’t have listed criteria like most other types of conditions.
Instead, these types of disorders are assessed based on listings for the body systems they impact. In other words, they are assessed based on listings for the body systems that are affected. So, which (if any) Blue Book listing applies and whether you meet the criteria will depend on the effects of the disorder.
An experienced SSDI advocate can help you determine whether one or more Blue Book listings may apply in your situation and what type of evidence will be required to establish your disability.
Hashimoto’s Disease and Social Security Grid Rules
When your condition doesn’t meet a Blue Book listing or your disability is caused by a combination of medical conditions, the assessment is more complex. The Social Security Administration (SSA) determines your residual functional capacity given on your physical and mental health limitations.
Then, they look to the appropriate grid for results based on factors such as your level of education, how old you are, and whether you have skills from past work experience that would translate to jobs you can still do. The older you are and the less education and skilled work experience you have, the more likely you are to be approved.
Get Help with Your Hashimoto’s Disease Claim Today
Whether you’re just starting your application for SSDI, got started and became overwhelmed by the amount of information and documentation required, or are appealing a denial, we can help. Call Disability Help Group today at 800-800-3332 to learn more about our services or contact us here now.
