What medical conditions qualify for Social Security Disability?

Many applicants diagnosed with a condition that falls on the Social Security Administration’s (SSA’s) “Listing of Medical Impairments” will generally qualify to receive Supplemental Security Income (SSI) or Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI). Individuals who’ve been diagnosed with other illnesses or impairments that aren’t listed there may also be eligible for these benefits if they meet certain additional requirements.

Medical conditions that are listed on the SSA’s Listing of Impairments are organized by bodily system. These injuries or illnesses include:

• Speech or sensory concerns including hearing or vision loss
• Immune disorders including rheumatoid arthritis, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and lupus
• Blood disorders like hemophilia and sickle cell disease
• Digestive concerns such as inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and liver problems
• Mental health conditions including autism, schizophrenia, anxiety and depression
• Respiratory concerns such as cystic fibrosis and asthma
• Neurological disorders including cerebral palsy, epilepsy or Parkinson’s disease
• Musculoskeletal problems including back, bone and joint problems
• Cardiovascular disease including chronic heart failure

These are only some of the many impairments that may automatically qualify an individual to receive SSDI or SSI.

If you have a disabling condition, then you should be able to provide clinical reports to the SSA to show that you’ve undergone adequate laboratory or clinical testing necessary to diagnose you with it.

Your file’s reviewer may ask to see physical exam or radiology reports, mental health records, blood test results and treatment notes to gain a better perspective as to the severity of your condition.

You may be asked by the SSA to prove that your illness or injury affects your residual functional capacity. Your file’s reviewer will want to see what your exertion level is when you’re asked to complete demanding activities. This will let them know how much you’re capable of doing with your medical condition.

Many individuals who apply for SSDI or SSI end up having their applications denied on the first pass. This often happens even when a person’s medical condition is included on the Listing of Impairments put out by the SSA.

It can be enormously helpful for you to have an attorney on your side helping you gather the necessary documentation you need to compile before you submit your application. Your Charlotte lawyer’s experience in navigating the system here in North Carolina will prove invaluable to you as you look to qualify for SSI or SSDI yourself.