To qualify for disability benefits, your condition must significantly limit your ability to do basic work-related activities, such as lifting, standing, walking, sitting, or remembering. There are many medical conditions that can qualify for disability benefits, and the Social Security Administration (SSA) has a manual called the Blue Book that lists impairments considered severe enough to prevent an individual from doing any gainful activity. The Blue Book is divided into two parts: Part A contains medical criteria that apply to the evaluation of impairments in adults age 18 and over, and Part B contains additional criteria and is used first when evaluating disability for children under age 18.
In general, to be eligible for disability benefits, you must be unable to perform any substantial work due to a physical and/or mental condition, which has lasted or can be expected to last for at least 12 months or can be expected to result in death. You must also have lost wages because of your disability and be employed or actively looking for work at the time your disability begins.
Some cases that usually qualify for disability can be allowed as soon as the diagnosis is confirmed, such as acute leukemia, Lou Gehrig’s disease (ALS), and pancreatic cancer. Additionally, the SSA uses computer screening to identify cases with a high probability of allowance.
If you would like to know if your condition qualifies for disability benefits, you can look for your condition in the Disability Care Centers comprehensive list of illnesses and conditions recognized by the SSA. If your condition is not listed, you can still call the Disability Care Center to find out if your condition qualifies for benefits.
