The Supplemental Security Income Disability program is administered by the Social Security Administration and provides assistance to people with disabilities. Applying for and receiving disability benefits can be a long, complicated process, fraught with delays and confusing paperwork. Rhode Island has the fifth-lowest disability claim acceptance rate in the nation, with only 36% of Social Security Disability applications being accepted. One way to increase the odds of successfully receiving disability benefits that you qualify for is to hire a Rhode Island personal injury attorney to help you through the process.
Disability benefits are available to people who have a medical condition that keeps them from working. The condition must be expected to last at least 12 months or result in death. Within this broad definition are many disability impairments that may qualify. If you need to file for disability benefits but aren’t sure if you qualify, or if you have been denied disability benefits and need help to work through an appeal, please contact the law office of Marasco & Nesselbush at (401) 289-1027. Our award-winning legal team is here to help.
Can I Receive Disability Benefits for Severe Arthritis?
Arthritis is a condition that is eligible for disability benefits as a condition of the musculoskeletal system. If your arthritis limits your ability to walk, prepare meals for yourself, or makes personal hygiene difficult, you may qualify for benefits. Other conditions of the musculoskeletal system that may qualify include:
- Amputation
- Back pain
- Carpal tunnel syndrome
- Degenerative disc disease
- Fibromyalgia
- Herniated disc
- Hip replacement
- Neck pain and neck problems
- Scoliosis
- Spine disorders
- Many more
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I Have Macular Degeneration, What If I Can’t Work?
A Macular Degeneration diagnosis doesn’t automatically mean you will receive disability benefits, however, if the condition is severe enough to keep you from working then disability benefits are definitely worth pursuing. Macular Degeneration is a condition of Special Senses and Speech, along with blindness, deafness and certain speech disorders. If you have questions about whether you should apply for disability with a diagnosis of Macular Degeneration, it may be helpful to contact an attorney to discuss your specific case and the steps required to move forward. The attorneys at Morasco & Nesselbush are here to help.
Is Asthma Considered A Disability?
Asthma is included in the list of Social Security Disability conditions that may be covered. If you are undergoing treatment for asthma and still have severe asthma attacks that require medical intervention at least once every two months or at least six times a year, then you may qualify for benefits. Respiratory disorders can be attributed to many different things, some are primary disabilities and some are manageable and can improve over time. A Rhode Island attorney experienced in Social Security Disability law can help you navigate the application process with a greater chance of your claim being accepted.
Other Respiratory Disorders eligible for benefits include:
- Bronchiectasis
- Chronic Pulmonary Insufficiency
- Cystic Fibrosis
- Lung Transplant
- Sleep Apnea
- COPD
- And many others
Social Security Disability And Cardiovascular Disorders
Cardiovascular conditions are one of the leading causes of disability in the United States. The eligibility requirements and criteria are extensive and lengthy for most conditions. The one exception is that recipients of a heart transplant automatically qualify for disability for one full year after the procedure. All other cardiovascular disabilities require the standard application process. These other disabilities include conditions such as an aneurysm of the aorta, chronic heart failure, peripheral artery disease and recurrent arrhythmia.
Other conditions that are evaluated as cardiovascular for disability purposes are blood clots, chest pain, Budd-Chiari Syndrome, heart attack, heart failure, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, hypertension and others. If you have a cardiovascular condition that severely limits or prohibits your ability to work, you may qualify for social security disability benefits. One of the best ways to find out about filing for disability is to discuss your case with an attorney. The legal team of Marasco & Nesselbush serves citizens of Rhode Island who need help to file social security disability claims. Call today for a free consultation (401) 289-1027.
My Crohn’s Disease Is Getting Worse, Treatment Isn’t Helping, Can I Go On Disability?
Crohn’s disease is evaluated under the Social Security Disability criteria for Digestive System Disorders. Often Crohn’s disease symptoms can be controlled with medication and other treatments, but if the treatments have not been successful and you continue to have pain, inflammation, chronic diarrhea, weight loss etc. then you may qualify for disability benefits.
The application process can be complicated and requires diligent record-keeping of all symptoms, treatments, tests and procedures. It is also important to have records showing that your illness has progressed to a severe state and is likely to continue for twelve months or more.
Genitourinary Disorder Sufferers Qualify For Disability Benefits
Genitourinary disorders include any condition involving the genitals, urinary tract and kidneys. Common conditions include Chronic Glomerulonephritis, Chronic Obstructive Uropathy, Diabetic Nephropathy, Alport Syndrome and Hypertensive renal vascular disease. Diabetic Nephropathy is the result of a worsening diabetes condition and is evaluated in this section even though the primary disease causing the condition resides elsewhere. Other conditions that may qualify for benefits in this area include:
End Stage Renal Disease
Interstitial Cystitis
Kidney Dialysis
Kidney Disease
Nephrotic Disorder
It is critical to have a complete and thorough record of all medical treatments and procedures to document the increasing severity of disease. Social Security Disability benefit applications are evaluated on the severity, length and response to treatments that are currently being applied and that have been tried in the past. Do not stop treatment while in the process of filing your benefit claim. It is common for people filing for disability benefits to contact an attorney for help. Marasco & Nesselbush serves Rhode Island and is available if you have any questions. Please Call (401) 289-1027.
Cancer And Disability Benefits
The effects of cancer on a patient are many and varied and so are the treatment options and outcomes. Applying for disability benefits always requires a lot of paperwork, but with cancer, it is even more so. It is time-consuming to gather all the records from diagnosis, treatment, surgeries, radiation and time is a luxury some cancer patients don’t have.
People with certain types of cancers, in specific stages, may be eligible for a Compassionate Allowance, which, if approved, allows for benefits to begin much faster than is typical. Contact an experienced attorney for help when applying for these critical benefits.
Be prepared to show written documentation of the following.
- Where the malignancy originated and to what extent it has spread.
- All treatments including surgery, radiation, chemotherapy etc.
- How you responded to the treatments
- Any and all side effects from the treatments
I Have Hemophilia, Can I Qualify For Disability Benefits?
Yes! Hemophilia is specifically listed on the Social Security Disability as a qualifying condition in the Hematological Disorders designation. Sickle Cell Disease, Polycythemia Vera, Aplastic Anemia and several others are also in this category. Certain criteria must be met to qualify and applicants must be able to show that their condition makes them ineligible for work for at least a year. Written documentation and test results will need to be reviewed before a decision can be made. An attorney may be helpful to speed up the process and increase the likelihood of approval.
Severe Skin Disorders Meet Disability Requirements
It may be hard to imagine that a skin condition could be considered a disability, but there are skin and conditions so debilitating that it is impossible to function at work. In order to qualify, disabling skin conditions must include lesions covering an extensive part of your body for three months or more. In the case of burns, the lesions must have lasted, or be expected to last a year or more.
Skin Disorders That Qualify For Disability Benefits
- Bullous Disease
- Dermatitis
- Chronic infections
- Ichthyosis
- Genetic photosensitivity
- Burns
- Hidradenitis Suppurativa
- Cellulitis
- Dermatomyositis
- Shingles
Social Security Disability Endocrine Disorders
Endocrine disorders do not in and of themselves qualify for disability benefits. Endocrine disorders are evaluated on the effect they have on other parts of the body and its systems. Diabetes, for instance, affects the kidneys, eyes, heart, extremities, etc. The determination of benefits for diabetes may be decided based on cardiovascular, musculoskeletal or even special senses and speech criteria depending on which system is causing the disability.
Along with diabetes, endocrine disorders include adrenal gland disorders, pancreatic gland disorders, parathyroid disorders, thyroid gland disorders and pituitary gland disorders.
It’s easy to see how disability benefits for an endocrine disorder can get complicated in a hurry. The law associates at Marasco & Nesselbush are here to help. Serving Rhode Island with more than three hundred years of combined experience, the team at Marasco & Nesselbush are available 24/7 with online chat or call (401) 289-1027 with any questions.
Is It Difficult To Get Disability Benefits For Down’s Syndrome?
That depends on the specific type of Down’s Syndrome. Non-Mosaic Down’s Syndrome affects all of the body’s cells and everyone who has Non-Mosaic Down’s Syndrome qualifies for disability automatically from birth. Mosaic Down Syndrome is rare and may qualify for disability benefits, but the application process would be the same as with other conditions. Down’s Syndrome is categorized as a multiple body system impairment. Other multiple body system impairments that qualify for disability are:
Fragile X Syndrome
Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome
Fetal Alcohol Syndrome
Caudal Regression Syndrome
Phenylketonuria (PKU)
Trisomy X Syndrome
Reye’s Syndrome
Neurological Disorders And Social Security Disability Benefits
There are various neurological disorders that can leave you unable to work and provide for yourself and your family. The SSA lists sixteen conditions that qualify for benefits.
- ALS (Lou Gehrig’s Disease)
- Anterior Poliomyelitis
- Brain tumors
- Central nervous system vascular accidents
- Cerebral Palsy
- Cerebral trauma
- Epilepsy
- Lesions of the spinal cord or nerve roots
- Multiple Sclerosis
- Muscular Dystrophy
- Myasthenia Gravis
- Parkinsonian Syndrome
- Peripheral Neuropathies
- Subacute combined cord degeneration
- Syringomyelia
- Other degenerative diseases
The parameters for specific conditions to qualify for disability varies.
Parkinsonian Syndrome
-Sustained disturbance of fine and gross motor skills
-Sustained disturbance of gait
-Rigidity
-Tremors in two or more extremities
Cerebral Palsy
-IQ less than 70
-Significant behavioral/emotional problems
-No ability to hear or see
Epilepsy
-Three months treatment and continue to have seizures once a month (Grand Mal).
-Three months treatment and continue to have seizures more than once per week. Seizures must cause you to lose consciousness, alter your state of awareness or cause behavioral issues.
Are Disability Benefits Available For Depression?
Yes! Depression can be a crippling condition that may not respond to treatment well enough to enable you to return to work. Disability benefits are available for sufferers of severe depression.
There are nine categories of mental disorders that qualify for disability benefits.
- Affective disorders
- Anxiety disorders
- Autism
- Mental retardation
- Organic mental disorders
- Personality disorders
- Schizophrenia
- Somatoform disorders
- Substance addiction
The documentation required for filing varies depending on each disorder. It can be a confusing and complicated process that is aided greatly by the help of an attorney. If you or a loved one is suffering from a mental disorder and can no longer work, contact the attorneys at Marasco and Nesselbush for a free consultation. Don’t try to navigate the red tape alone. Call (401) 289-1027.
HIV Disability Benefits
In order to qualify for HIV disability benefits you must have one of the following conditions.
-Bacterial infections
-Fungal infections
-Protozoan infections
-Helminthic infections
-Viral infections
-Malignant neoplasms
-Non-responsive ulcerations
-Motor or cognitive dysfunction
-Wasting Syndrome
-Sinusitis
-Sepsis
-Endocarditis
-Meningitis
-Septic Arthritis
-Pneumonia
-Chronic diarrhea
Other Immune System Disorders include: Connective tissue disease, inflammatory arthritis, lupus, polymyositis, Sjogren’s syndrome, systemic sclerosis and systemic vasculitis. All conditions have their own parameters by which the qualification for disability benefits is decided.
Hiring an attorney can save time, lessen stress, and increase the likelihood that your claim will be accepted. The Rhode Island law firm of Marasco & Nesselbush is standing by to answer questions by phone or online. Call (401) 289-1027 or visit us online at m-n-law.com”]