How Can I Tell If I Am Disabled?
Are you suffering from a disabling medical condition that is making it so that you cannot work? If so, you may be entitled to much needed Social Security Disability benefits. The first order of business is to find out if your condition meets the requirements for a “disability.”
A “disability” under Social Security is one where you: 1) cannot do the work you did before, 2) the SSA decides that you cannot adjust to other work, and 3) your disability should last one year or more, or result in death.
Social Security pays disability benefits to workers who are unable to work because they have a medical condition that is expected to last at least one year, or result in death. If you are not able to perform your usual job, Social Security will first see if you can adjust in another field of work.
The Social Security Administration will take into consideration several factors, including:
- Your medical condition
- Your age
- Your education
- Past work experience
- Transferrable skills
For example, if you have suffered serious scarring and disfigurement to your face from burns, and you used to be in retail where you dealt with customers face-to-face, you may still be able to do data entry work where you are no longer in contact with the public.
On the other hand, if you cannot perform the work that you did in the past, and you cannot adjust to other work, your claim will likely be approved. If you can adjust to other work, your claim will be denied.
How does the SSA decide if you’re disabled? For each of the major body systems, the SSA has a list of impairments that are so severe that they automatically mean someone is disabled. If your condition is not listed, the SSA has to decide if it is of equal severity to a medical condition that is on the list.
Examples of the medical conditions on the list of impairments:
- Lou Gehrig’s Disease (ALS)
- Acute Leukemia
- Pancreatic Cancer
- Epilepsy
- Cerebral Palsy
- Multiple Sclerosis
- Parkinson’s Disease
- Chronic Heart Failure
- Liver Transplant
- Chronic Kidney Disease
If you recently became disabled, you should apply for disability benefits right away. It can take three to five months for your application to be processed. As Phoenix Social Security Disability attorneys, we can help you gather all of the necessary documentation and streamline the application process as much as possible.
At Fendon Law Firm, P.C., we are accredited by the Better Business Bureauwith an A+ Rating, we are rated 10.0 Superb by Avvo, and we are AV® Rated by Martindale-Hubbell®. As a top-rated law firm, you can be confident that your Social Security Disability case is in very good hands.
Give us a call today to arrange your free consultation!
