Qualifying Physical Disorders For Social Security Disability Benefits

Obtaining Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) for a physical disorder is often harder than people expect. Despite how clearly some applicants need these benefits, many of them still do not get the income they so desperately need.

At Chermol & Fishman, LLC, we represent people in the greater Philadelphia metropolitan area and eastern and south-central Pennsylvania. We also work nationwide, with offices in New Jersey, Texas, Florida, Kentucky and Illinois. We help those who need SSDI benefits because they cannot work due to physical impairments, illnesses and injuries. Many of our attorneys formerly worked for the Social Security Association, so we know what is needed for a successful claim and are prepared to help you attain the outcome you deserve in your case.

How We Can Help You

As a law firm with more than three decades of experience handling SSDI and SSI claims, we know that many types of physical disabilities can qualify you for SSDI and SSI benefits. These include:

• Back injuries and conditions such as arthritis, herniated disks, spinal stenosis, radiculopathy/sciatica, osteoporosis and compression fractures
• Hip, leg, knee, ankle and foot conditions and injuries such as arthritis, crush injuries, avascular necrosis, heel spurs, plantar fasciitis, and tendon, ligament and cartilage damage
• Shoulder conditions and injuries like arthritis, labral tears, rotator cuff tears, impingement syndrome, frozen shoulder and brachial plexopathy
• Arm, elbow, hand and wrist conditions and injuries such as arthritis, ulnar neuropathy, tennis elbow, carpal tunnel syndrome, ligament and tendon damage and crush injuries
• Circulatory, arterial and vascular disorders, which can cause edema, cellulitis, ulcerations and amputations
• Cardiological/heart conditions, including heart disease like coronary artery disease, chest pain/angina, myocardial infarction (heart attack), congestive heart failure, cardiomyopathy, arrhythmia, atrial fibrillation (A-fib) and aneurysms
• Neurological disorders such as multiple sclerosis, epilepsy/seizure disorders, strokes, Parkinson’s disease, Tourette’s syndrome, cerebral palsy, spinal cord injuries, peripheral neuropathies and Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy/Complex Reginal Pain Syndrome (RSD/CRPS)
• Traumatic brain injury/closed head injury
• Fibromyalgia
• Chronic fatigue syndrome
• Headaches, including migraine, cluster and tension headaches
• Blood disorders such as Sickle Cell disease, Polycythemia Vera, Hemophilia and other clotting disorders
• Autoimmune diseases like Lupus (SLE), Lyme disease, vasculitis, HIV/AIDS, Behcet’s disease, Sjögren’s Syndrome, scleroderma and other connective tissue disorders
• Inflammatory arthritis conditions, including rheumatoid arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, psoriatic arthritis and osteoarthritis
• Stomach, intestine and liver disorders such as inflammatory bowel disease, Crohn’s disease, colitis, cirrhosis, hepatitis C infection, irritable bowel syndrome, bleeding ulcers, severe GERD and esophagitis
• Pulmonary disorders/lung diseases like asthma, emphysema/COPD, chronic bronchitis, sleep apnea and chronic pulmonary insufficiency
• Hearing loss and tinnitus
• Ménière’s disease/vertigo
• Vision/eye impairments such as glaucoma, cataracts, retinopathy, macular edema and vision loss/blindness
• Diabetes with complications affecting one’s eyes, heart, vascular system, kidneys and/or causing neuropathy in the hands and/or feet
• Kidney disease
• Skin disorders such as psoriasis, dermatitis, cellulitis, burns, and chronic fungal and other infections
• Cancers

We take the time to review your SSDI or SSI application to ensure we are building the strongest case possible to secure the benefits you are looking for.

Physical Disorders And SSDI: Documentation Is Critical

In a Social Security Disability Insurance claim, having the right documentation can mean the difference between getting the benefits you need and getting denied. The Social Security Administration will closely review your medical records and the questionnaires you submit to determine just how severely your physical impairments affect your life and your ability to function.

The SSA looks at many different ways your condition impacts your ability to do work-related activities, including how much weight you can lift and carry, how long you can stand, walk or sit, your ability to reach and your ability to use your hands and fingers. The length of time that you have struggled with an impairment, the way the impairment, illness or injury has been treated and the likelihood of medical improvement are also considered by the SSA.

One of the ways we bolster our clients’ cases is by securing a list of the medications they take. We have handled thousands of SSDI and SSI claims. We know, speak and work with doctors on a regular basis. By reviewing your medications and talking with you about your conditions and treatment, we can gain the information necessary to evaluate your disability claim and give you candid legal advice.

It is impossible to predict the future, but we can also give you our opinion regarding the likely outcome of your claim and what you can do to improve your chances of winning your disability case, possibly including making recommendations about your physical or mental health treatment.

Get The Treatment You Need

People without solid medical records find it difficult to get SSDI and SSI benefits. One of the best ways to increase your chances of getting SSDI and SSI benefits is to see your doctors regularly. Make sure to tell your doctors about the severity of your problems with pain and your limitations on your ability to move about, to hold and manipulate things with your hands, and your difficulties in maintaining ordinary activities.

Ideally, your doctor documents these issues in your chart, orders appropriate diagnostic tests and refers you to appropriate specialists. This will not only help you get the treatment you need to feel better, but also help create a record of your problems for use in your SSDI or SSI claim.

Contact Our Firm For A Free Consultation

Whether you are making an initial application for benefits or your claim has been denied, we can assist you. You will typically pay no fees unless our team secures or reinstates your SSDI or SSI benefits. Contact our firm today for a free consultation. Call 215-795-4448.