A wide variety of illnesses qualify for Social Security disability benefits. The crucial factor is whether the illness is severe enough to prevent the individual from working. While there are also income and work requirements that may apply in your case, proving that your illness prevents you from doing any gainful activity is typically the most difficult requirement to prove. A New York Social Security disability claims lawyer can help you complete the disability forms and gather the medical evidence required to prove your illness is a qualifying disability.

Who Decides If I My Illness is a Disability?

The Social Security Administration (SSA) processes applications for Social Security disability benefits. When you file your SSDI or SSI application, you will need to include a description of your physical or mental health illness and how the illness prevents you from working.

The SSA reviews the information you provide and your medical records to determine if your illness qualifies as a disability. The SSA may also send you to a doctor that it chooses for an independent evaluation. You must submit to the independent evaluation or your application for disability benefits may be denied.

Social Security’s Listing of Impairments

To help examiners determine if your illness is severe enough to be considered a disability, the examiners use information contained in the Listing of Impairments. The Listing of Impairments is commonly referred to as the Blue Book.

The Blue Book is divided into sections that correspond to each body system, including mental disorders and illnesses. For example, Section 11 is Neurological illnesses and conditions. This section includes illnesses such as epilepsy, cerebral palsy, benign brain tumors, multiple sclerosis, traumatic brain injury, and several other neurological illnesses. The Blue Book goes into great detail to describe the various criteria for each illness that may result in a qualifying disability.

Your condition must also meet the other criteria for the SSA’s definition of disability. Many of the illnesses listed in the Blue Book are permanent conditions or conditions that are expected to result in death. Therefore, these illnesses have already met the requirement that the condition must have lasted at least 12 months, is expected to last 12 months, or is expected to result in death.

Is the Blue Book the Only Source Used by SSA to Determine Disability?
No, the Listing of Impairments is only one step in the process of evaluating a claim. If your illness meets or exceeds the criteria in the Blue Book, your application for Social Security disability benefits may be approved. If not, the examiner may proceed with other steps until he or she has enough information to determine your illness qualifies as a disability.

Contact a New York SSDI Attorney for Help

Determining if your illness qualifies as a disability can be a complicated process. The information contained in the Blue Book can be extremely technical, and the SSA can be difficult to deal with at times.
A New York SSDI attorney can review your case and offer advice on how you should proceed regarding a Social Security disability claim. An attorney can prepare the paperwork and handle the filing to ensure your application for disability benefits is complete and accurate.

Contact our New York SSDI lawyers today to discuss your case and see how we can help you get the benefits you are entitled to receive.