You’re applying for Social Security disability, which is a challenging and difficult process. Then, you encounter the SSDI disability list. What is that? Where does your condition fit? What do you need to submit with your application that will show the Social Security Administration that your condition is on the list? Or, if it isn’t, that your condition prevents you from pursuing any gainful employment?
The Social Security disability lawyers of Ryan Bisher Ryan & Simons can help. We have decades of experience handling Social Security disability claims, and we’re prepared to help you, too. Call our office today for your free, no-risk initial consultation.
What is the Social Security Administration’s Listing of Impairments?
The Social Security Administration uses a listing of impairments, known as the “Blue Book” of disabilities, when determining whether an applicant has a disabling condition that qualifies them for SSDI benefits. The SSA impairment listings come into play in the third step of the SSA’s determination of disability.
The Blue Book explains what illnesses, conditions, and injuries qualify someone for disability benefits. If your condition is listed in the Blue Book, you could be automatically qualified for benefits. However, the listing of impairments includes detailed, complex medical information and technical criteria. These criteria were written for medical professionals and others familiar with disability and the SSA. And, as explained below, it is also important to remember that even if your disabling condition does not satisfy the requirements of a “listing”, you still have an opportunity to show SSA that your condition(s) prevent you from performing work (at steps four and five of the SSA determination process).
An experienced Oklahoma SSDI lawyer can handle your application and any appeals. Their knowledge of what constitutes an application that is likely to be accepted will increase your chances of a successful claim.
Impairments for Disability in The Blue Book (Adult & Childhood)
The SSD Blue Book is divided into a listing of impairments for adults (Part A) and a listing of impairments for children (Part B). Each listing is divided into sections that outline illnesses and conditions for each section of the body that may be disabling. Part A is divided into the following sections:
- Musculoskeletal Disorders – Back and spine issues, osteoarthritis, muscular issues, and soft tissue injuries, including scoliosis and fibromyalgia
- Special Senses and Speech – Hearing loss, vision loss, speech problems, including vertigo, macular degeneration, and Meniere’s disease
- Respiratory Disorders – Asthma, COPD, lung cancer, and sleep apnea
- Cardiovascular System – Heart and circulatory issues, including high blood pressure, blood clots, coronary artery disease, ventricular dysfunction, and chronic heart failure
- Digestive Disorders – Gastrointestinal problems, including chronic liver disease, inflammatory bowel disease, hepatitis, Crohn’s disease, gastrointestinal hemorrhage, and malnutrition
- Genitourinary Disorders – Reproductive and urinary problems, including kidney disease, renal failure, interstitial cystitis, and some forms of nephropathy
- Hematological Disorders – Issues affecting the blood, spleen, liver, and bone marrow, including anemia, sickle cell disease, and chronic thrombocytopenia
- Skin Disorders – Impairments related to the skin, including cellulitis, burn injuries, skin infections, ichthyosis, dermatitis, hidradenitis suppurativa, malignant skin tumors, and shingles
- Endocrine Disorders – Glandular disorders, including diabetes, arrhythmia, weight loss or gain, and thyroid abnormalities
- Congenital Disorders That Affect Multiple Body Systems – This section is divided into two parts: Down’s Syndrome and all other congenital conditions, such as fetal alcohol syndrome, Fragile X syndrome, caudal regression syndrome, and Ehlers-Danlos syndrome
- Neurological Disorders – Problems with the nervous system, including traumatic brain injuries, cerebral palsy, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), epilepsy, and multiple sclerosis
- Mental Disorders – Mental health conditions, including PTSD, autism, bipolar disorder, anxiety, and schizophrenia
- Cancer (Malignant Neoplastic Diseases) – Malignant tumors and cancers, including leukemia, lymphoma, and cancers of any body part
- Immune System Disorders – Immune system impairments, including HIV, lupus, and AIDS
Part B of the listing contains all the same sections as Part A, with the addition of a section called Low Birth Weight and Failure to Thrive that applies to children under the age of three.
How can Ryan Bisher Ryan & Simons Help Me with My SSD Case?
The experienced Oklahoma SSD lawyers of Ryan Bisher Ryan & Simons can handle every detail of your application for SSD benefits. Our experience with hundreds of SSD applications allows us to prepare applications with the greatest chance of success. We know what evidence the SSA requires, and we can confer with your doctors and other health professionals to obtain your medical records and opinions about how your condition affects your ability to function.
If you have already filed your initial application and your claim has been denied, we can handle your claim throughout the appeals process.
FAQs
When clients first come to see us about their SSDI cases, they have questions. The following are the ones we’ve answered most often:
What if my medical problem isn’t on the disabling conditions list?
Even if your condition isn’t specifically named in the list of impairments, the SSA will consider other factors when making its determination about whether you qualify for disability payments. They’ll consider your ability to stand, walk, sit, lift, and remember, as well as whether your condition prevents you from performing any type of work you’ve done in the past. They’ll consider your age, education, past work experience, and transferable skills. Taking all these factors together, they may find that you’re entitled to SSDI even if your medical issue isn’t on the disabling conditions list.
Do I need a Social Security Disability attorney to help me evaluate the listings?
Yes. Although you can attempt to handle your claim yourself, you will increase the possibility that your claim will be successful if you engage an attorney with significant experience in filing successful SSDI claims for their clients. They will know what evidence is needed to prove you have a disability if your condition isn’t included on the list.
What does it mean to equal a listing?
If your condition is not listed specifically, your impairment can “equal a listing” if it prevents you from working or functioning in the same ways that one of the listed impairments would.
Contact Our Oklahoma SSD Lawyers for a Free Consultation
You can file an application for SSDI benefits if you suffer a condition that prevents you from working, but your best chance of success lies in allowing a knowledgeable Oklahoma Social Security disability attorney to handle your claim for you.
When you’re worried about how you’ll pay your bills because you can’t work, the last thing you should be worried about is how to file a successful disability claim. Call the SSD lawyers of Ryan Bisher Ryan & Simons today for your free, fully confidential consultation and discover how we can help.
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