Do you or someone you know suffer from arthritis? This condition often leaves victims unable to work, as their cartilage wears down, causing swelling and stiffness around joints, resulting in tremendous amounts of pain.
If you suffer from arthritis, you should know that the Social Security Administration (SSA) has several impairment listings under which you may qualify for Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) benefits. In order to qualify for benefits, you must be able to show that your arthritis makes in incredibly difficult for you to walk, stand and/or sit on the job.
Additionally, you may have to provide evidence that shows persistent swelling in your joints and that you have limited motion. This may be done through records and/or through medical imaging (such as an MRI).
When it determines your eligibility for SSDI, the SSA will look at your residual functional capacity (RFC) and determine if you are capable of doing work. If your RFC assessment shows that you may be capable of doing light or sedentary work, the SSA may weigh this with your employment history to determine your eligibility for benefits.
For example, if you were employed previously in the construction industry but now suffer from arthritis in your lower extremities leaving you unable to walk or stand, the SSA may take this into account when determining your benefit eligibility. However, if you were employed in an office job that required little movement, the SSA may determine that you still have work functionality.
How Can SSDI Help Me if I Have Arthritis?
We bring this subject up because May is National Arthritis Awareness Month. Sadly, an estimated 52.5 million people in the U.S. say they have some form of arthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, gout, lupus or fibromyalgia, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. You can find more information on rheumatoid arthritis, and get help with relieving the condition by visiting the Rheumatoid Arthritis Support Network (RASN).
For many Americans with arthritis, SSDI helps when they can no longer work by providing them with a source of income. If you are interested in collecting SSDI, you can visit our Social Security FAQ page to read more about requirements.
If you are interested in applying for SSDI, you can contact our Tulsa disability attorneys by calling the number located at the top of this page or filling out the case review form on the left.
Troutman & Troutman, P.C. – Tulsa Social Security disability attorneys
Source: https://www.rheumatology.org/about/arthritismonth.asp
