There are many medical conditions that can qualify for disability benefits. The Social Security Administration (SSA) has a Listing of Impairments that describes impairments considered severe enough to prevent an individual from doing any gainful activity. The Listing of Impairments is divided into two parts: Part A contains medical criteria that apply to the evaluation of impairments in adults age 18 and over, while Part B contains additional medical criteria that apply only to the evaluation of impairments of persons under age 18. Here are some examples of medical conditions that can qualify for disability benefits:
- Musculoskeletal Disorders
- Special Senses and Speech
- Respiratory Disorders
- Cardiovascular System
- Digestive System
- Neurological Disorders, such as cerebral palsy, epilepsy, multiple sclerosis, peripheral neuropathy, stroke, and traumatic brain injury
In addition to the Listing of Impairments, there are two categories of conditions that medically qualify an individual automatically for disability benefits: compassionate allowance cases and TERI (terminal illness) cases. Compassionate allowance cases include certain cases that usually qualify for disability and can be allowed as soon as the diagnosis is confirmed, such as acute leukemia, Lou Gehrig’s disease (ALS), and pancreatic cancer. TERI cases include individuals with terminal illnesses that are expected to result in death within 12 months.
To qualify for disability benefits, an individual must meet the SSAs definition of disability, which means that they must have a medical condition that prevents them from working for at least a year or is expected to result in death. The SSA considers an individuals medical conditions, age, education, past work experience, and any transferable skills they may have when determining if they can do the work they did previously or any other work. If an individual cannot do other work, they will be considered to have a qualifying disability and will be eligible for disability benefits.
