If you are suffering from severe arthritis that renders you unable to work, you may wonder if you can apply for Social Security Disability (SSD) benefits to ease the financial burden. You may be able to qualify for Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) benefits or Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits if you can fulfill the medical and non-medical requirements for these two federal programs administered by the Social Security Administration (SSA).
Arthritis can be a very painful condition to put up with. Due to the severe pain and agony it causes, arthritis patients may no longer be able to continue their job or do some other work.
Disability benefits for arthritis
You can win disability benefits for arthritis. However, you must show that your arthritis is so severe that it impacts your ability to work on a full-time basis for at least one year. If you can no longer engage in Substantial Gainful Activity (SGA) due to your arthritis condition and your medical record proves that you meet the SSA’s definition of disability, you will be able to win disability benefits for arthritis.
Therefore, when you apply for arthritis disability benefits, the SSA will examine your medical history and non-medical requirements to determine whether you meet the eligibility conditions.
Arthritis as a Social Security disability
The SSA maintains a Listing of Impairments (also called the “Blue Book”) that lists the impairments which the Social Security Administration considers severe enough to prevent an individual from working and as meeting the medical criteria to determine if an individual can receive disability benefits.
Arthritis is among the disabilities in the Blue Book that qualifies an individual for SSD benefits. You can find the medical requirements for arthritis in the Blue Book under section 14.00 Immune System Disorders.
However, simply because you are suffering from arthritis does not mean that you automatically qualify for Social Security Disability benefits.
On the other hand, if you do not meet the Listing of Impairments, you may still be eligible for SSD benefits. You will have to request a residual functional capacity (RFC) assessment. This assessment may help to show that you are unable to work because of your arthritis condition, even though it does not technically qualify under the Blue Book.
Other Requirements
Apart from the medical conditions, you will also need to meet the non-medical conditions to qualify for disability benefits. If you are applying for SSDI benefits, you must have enough work credits that are earned by working at a job or through self-employment and paying into Social Security.
On the other hand, you must meet strict income and resource limitations if you are applying for SSI benefits.
Chances Of Getting Disability Benefits With Arthritis
Your chances of getting disability benefits for arthritis depends on different factors including the medical evidence, prior denials, financial evidence, and your inability to work. Generally, around 63% of disability applications for SSDI benefits get rejected. However, you can increase the chances of winning arthritis disability benefits by preparing your evidence properly and consulting an experienced SSD lawyer.
Get Help From An Experienced SSD Lawyer
Winning disability benefits for arthritis can be complicated and challenging. At Clauson Law, we have a team of dedicated experts who want to help you get the benefits you need and deserve. Contact us today for a free consultation and case review.
About Author:- Francis Babet loves pursuing excellence through writing and has a passion for Legal. He currently writes for the Disability law Firm, a USA Based Law Firm that provides Short-term disability, SSD, SSI, SSDI, Personal Injury, and Disability pay. His work has been published on various sites related to Social Security Disability, Supplemental Security Income, Disability Benefits and Disability Approved.
