Any person who is in pain or dealing with an injury or illness that keeps them from carrying out day-to-day tasks knows exactly how they feel and how their lives are disrupted as a result of their condition. But knowing this and proving it to the Social Security Administration in the pursuit of disability benefits are two very different things.
One resource that can help people during this process is the SSA’s Listing of Impairments. This list includes all the different types of conditions that can make a person eligible for benefits. However, despite the fact that the list is quite extensive, there are many disabling conditions not included on it. This leaves many people wondering if they can still qualify for benefits if they suffer from a condition that does not appear on the list.
The answer to this question is a bit complicated. Technically, yes, a person can still pursue benefits if they are disabled by an illness or injury not appearing on the official Listing of Impairments. However, it can be much more difficult to do so.
The main complication stems from the requirement that an applicant show that a condition is similar to one or more appearing on the list in that it is serious and limits a person’s residual functional capacity. This can be done by providing medical evidence including clinical reports and lab tests as well as documentation of a person’s exertional and non-exertional limitations.
If those factors are solid and a person’s application is thorough and accurate, he or she can qualify for SSDI just like any other candidate.
Whether your condition appears on the SSA’s Listing of Impairments or not, you can find it very frustrating to pursue the benefits you may seriously need and deserve. People know that SSDI is available, but the process of accessing these benefits can be confusing, tedious and infuriating. However, working through the process with an attorney can give you a sense of support and guidance that can prove to be very reassuring.
Source: FindLaw.com, “Medical Conditions that Qualify You for Disability Claims,” accessed on July 9, 2015
