Charlotte Social Security Disability Attorneys on COPD and Benefits

For a disability consultation about your COPD with Charlotte Social Security disability attorneys, contact Bridgman Law Offices at 704-815-6055.

If you have been diagnosed with COPD, Charlotte Social Security disability attorneys may be able to help you get benefits. COPD, which stands for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, is an inclusive term that covers several lung diseases. Chronic bronchitis and emphysema are the two main lung diseases COPD includes. These diseases are known for obstructing airflow through the airways both in and out of the lungs. Chronic bronchitis and emphysema both cause excessive inflammation that leads over time to limited airflow and abnormalities in the lungs. Both conditions are progressive and worsen as time passes. A Charlotte Social Security lawyer understands the serious limitations and issues that arise because of COPD. COPD, which is primarily caused by cigarette smoking, has symptoms including shortness of breath, wheezing, and coughing. It can also indirectly cause pulmonary heart disease. Its treatment can include oxygen therapy, medication, and rehabilitation.

COPD And Disability Benefits

COPD is considered a disability in the eyes of the Social Security Administration. If you meet the SSA’s requirements, you will automatically qualify for disability benefits. Even if your condition is not severe enough according to the SSA’s requirements, there is still a possibility you can prove your COPD reduces your ability to breathe properly and exert yourself so much that you still cannot work.

Disability Listing For COPD

In order to qualify for benefits, a doctor must diagnose you with COPD. In addition to your diagnosis, a lung function test must be performed by one of the SSA’s consulting doctors. You must demonstrate that you have very limited airflow during this test. Your forced expiratory volume in one second, also called your FEV1 value, must be low. The FEV1 value measures the amount of air you can exhale in one second. If you do not have trouble getting air in or out of your lungs, but your lungs have difficulty oxygenating blood, you may still be able to qualify for benefits. A Charlotte Social Security lawyer may be able to help you determine if you qualify.

When You Have A Reduced Capacity For Work

To prove to the SSA that your breathing capacity and ability to exert yourself are so diminished that working is not a possibility for you, you should consider asking your doctor to submit a medical opinion to the SSA. This medical opinion should include information on what kinds of activities you are able to do and which you cannot do. For example, if you are not able to walk more than an hour at a time, your doctor’s medical opinion should include this.

Contact Charlotte Social Security Disability Attorneys

For a disability consultation, contact Bridgman Law Offices at 704-815-6055. An attorney may be able to help provide information, support and representation as you go through the process of applying for disability benefits. With the assistance of Charlotte Social Security disability attorneys, you may be able to get benefits if you have COPD.