The list of medical conditions and illnesses that make a person eligible for Social Security Disability Insurance is not a static piece of work. It changes from time to time. Whether your illness or condition makes you eligible for insurance benefits depends on many factors.
If for some reason you feel you are eligible and your claim has been improperly denied, the best thing to do is contact an attorney experienced in pursuing disability income on behalf of those who need it and deserve it.
To determine if you have a covered condition it is helpful to know that the government breaks down the impairments according to individual body systems. You have to be able to show that you expect to be impaired for at least a year by the condition and there are separate lists for children who are 18 or younger and adults.
For the latter, there are now 14 systems on the list. They include:
- Musculoskeletal: Back, bone or joint dysfunction.
- Special senses and speech: Hearing or vision loss.
- Respiratory: Think exposure-induced breathing issues, asthma or cystic fibrosis.
- Circulatory: Coronary artery disease and chronic heart failure.
- Digestive: Crohn’s disease and other inflammatory bowel conditions are included.
- Urinary: Kidney issues that lead to a need for dialysis or transplant.
- Hematological: Sickle cell and some other anemias qualify, as well as hemophilia and blood cancers and bone marrow disorders.
- Dermatological: Malignant melanomas, unresponsive skin infections or chronic lesions.
- Glandular: Endocrine disorders that result in hormonal imbalances.
- Congenital issues affecting many body systems: Due to a form of Down syndrome.
- Nervous: This would include cerebral palsy, epilepsy, Parkinson’s disease and multiple sclerosis.
- Mental ailments: These could fall under any one of nine diagnostic categories.
- Cancers: This could be almost any form of cancer and possibly the effects of treatment.
- Immune: Lupus, rheumatoid arthritis and HIV/AIDS fall into this category.
If you have questions about whether and how to apply for SSDI, speak with a skilled lawyer.