Do My Impairments Meet the Requirements for Social Security Disability?
Social Security keeps a list of impairments it recognizes, along with guidelines for how to qualify for benefits with each one.
Many ailments are on the list, but your diagnosis doesn’t have to be named—as long as its practical effect is that you can’t function up to certain levels each day. (Social Security measures this with a standard it calls “residual functional capacity,” or RFC.)
At Troutman & Troutman, these are just some of the most common impairments that our Tulsa disability attorneys see:
- Back problems
- Cancers
- Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
- Congenital Disorders
- Other lung and breathing problems
- Heart conditions
- Joint failure and osteoarthritis
- Lupus
- Mental health disorders
- Multiple sclerosis
- Neuropathy (and other complications from diabetes)
- Rheumatoid arthritis
Maybe you have fairly common ailments. Maybe your impairments aren’t visible to others because, say, you don’t use devices like walkers or wheelchairs. And of course, many people who do use walkers or wheelchairs can hold jobs—so in that case they wouldn’t qualify for benefits.
For your case to meet the requirements, you’ll need to submit medical documents that paint a picture of your ongoing treatment for physical or mental health disorders.
And you’ll need to be blunt with your doctors and other health care providers when you go in for a visit. Talk about how hard your impairments are for you. Don’t say, “I’m doing fine today,” just to make polite small talk.
The hard fact is that most people get denied for disability benefits.
It’s a tough process, but Troutman’s SSDI lawyers work to make it friendlier for you, from application to appeal. We build a relationship with you. We guide you. We see our disability law practice as mission of service to our fellow Oklahomans.
Start by just talking to us about your needs. It costs you nothing to get an initial evaluation of your case.
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Proving You’re Eligible for Social Security Disability
It’s clear to you that you have health problems that prevent you from working. Social Security will ask you to prove it.
They’ll put your disability benefits claim through a FIVE-STEP EVALUATION to see whether your impairments are severe enough—and your ability to work limited enough—to approve you for monthly disability checks and Medicare or Medicaid health coverage.
At every step, you have to submit documents to back up your case. This includes:
- Medical evidence from your care providers
- Information on your education
- Details of your work background
- How your age affects your work options
- Your own notes about your health struggles
- Family and friend statements on your health limitations
One of our jobs as Social Security Disability lawyers is to manage all this legwork, so the process is easier for you.
We can help you avoid mistakes on your application forms. We can keep you ahead of deadlines to submit information. Having a representative like a lawyer can even increase your chances of benefits approval in the end.
But maybe just as important, your disability lawyer can make sure you get personal attention in an impersonal process.
In a tough time for you, let us help you get what you need for a more secure life.
Contact Us Today! »Wherever You Are in the Disability Benefits Process, We Can Help
You may be trying to determine if Social Security Disability benefits are right for you. You may be facing a long, complicated benefits application. Or you’ve applied and been denied. Now what? The Troutman & Troutman Oklahoma disability attorneys can help.
Disability Attorneys Answer Your Questions about Social Security
Your life has been disrupted by health problems. You’ve had to leave work. You’re worried about money. Social Security Disability benefits can provide relief, but they’re complicated. You’ve got a lot of questions. The Troutman & Troutman Tulsa disability lawyers have answers.
SSD Questions & Answers »
