Disabilities

What is a Disability?

Disability. It sounds simple enough. You know you have something wrong with you. You know it keeps you from working. What else is there to know?

In order to qualify for Social Security Disability Insurance Benefits or Supplemental Security Income, you must have a disability that prevents you from working and is expected to last for at least twelve months or result in death. The disability must be severe, according to the Social Security Administration. It could be physical or mental.

You must be able to prove your impairment by medically acceptable clinical or laboratory diagnostic techniques. There are no specific impairments that are necessary in order to be found disabled. While some are frequently found in disability cases, any impairment that interferes with basic work-related activities can be found to be disabling. Here are some examples:

• ADHD
• AIDS/HIV
• Anxiety
• Arthritis
• Back problems
• Bipolar disorder
• Breathing impairments
• Cancer
• Carpal tunnel
• Chronic fatigue
• Cirrhosis and hepatitis
• Depression
• Diabetes
• Fibromyalgia
• Headaches, including migraines
• Heart conditions
• Interstitial cystitis
• Irritable bowel syndrome and Crohn's disease
• Joint Problems
• Lupus
• Multiple sclerosis (MS)
• Narcolepsy
• Parkinson's disease
• Post polio syndrome
• Quadriplegia
• RSD
• Rheumatoid arthritis
• Sarcoidosis
• Schizophrenia
• Seizures
• Sickle cell disease
• Skin problems
• Sleep disorders
• Swollen legs or edema
• Vision impairments

Most people have more than one impairment that prevents them from working. It is very important to name and develop every single one of them in a disability case. Here is an example:

Suppose Ms. Worker has severe back problems. Based on those problems, she might not be able to perform jobs that require heavy lifting, carrying, walking, or even standing. The Social Security Administration might argue, however, that Ms. Worker could do jobs that only require her to sit – sedentary jobs. If Ms. Worker suffered from a lot of pain and had to lie down frequently to stretch out her back, maybe she could not do a sedentary job. Even if Ms. Worker took pain medication that helped control her discomfort, she might experience side effects from the medication, such as drowsiness or dizziness, which could interfere with her ability to do a sedentary job.

Suppose that along with her pain and loss of abilities, Ms. Worker is also suffering from severe clinical depression. She might have difficulty getting up in the morning and tending to her personal needs several days a week or month due to her depression. Ms. Worker has a combination of impairments that could lead to a finding of disability: a physical condition, pain, medication side effects, and a mental health problem.

How Do I Prove What My Impairments Are?

At the law office of Hempson & Zupanec, we know how to prove a disability claim. We know that impairments involve disabilities that can be verified by blood tests and x-rays. We also know that impairments involve pain, weakness, fatigue, and the side effects of medications. We can help you understand what the impairments are in your case. We can make sure that your claim for benefits lists everything that keeps you from working.

You know that you are disabled and why, but the Social Security Administration does not. It requires proof of all your impairments. We know how to talk with you to find out all of your disabilities, and we know how to gather the necessary evidence to prove them.

Contact Us

If you are unable to work due to disability, contact us. We will work with both you and your medical care providers to demonstrate your impairments fully.