To qualify for Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) through the Social Security Administration (SSA), you need to have a disability preventing you from working for at least a year. You must also have enough work credits to qualify for SSDI benefits.
Your treating medical professionals and the SSA may disagree about whether your condition is severe enough to prevent you from engaging in substantially gainful activity (SGA).
The SSA lists the medical criteria for impairments in adults—and some children—to qualify for coverage. This list includes most of the conditions covered by SSDI in Kansas City and nationally. Depending on the circumstances, the SSA may determine that an individual qualifies for SSDI even if they do not have a condition that is specifically covered. Contact a knowledgeable SSDI attorney today for more information.
The SSA recognizes 14 general categories of conditions that can make someone eligible for SSDI in Kansas City. It is not enough that a person has one of these conditions. The condition must also be sufficiently severe to prevent the person from engaging in SGA for at least a year. There is an exception if the person has a terminal illness and death is anticipated to occur within a year.
The 14 categories of disability conditions include:
An experienced Kansas City attorney can explain SSDI rules and these listed conditions more thoroughly.
“Special senses and speech” refer to disabilities impacting the senses. These disabilities include blindness, hearing loss, vertigo, and loss of speech.
Musculoskeletal disorders refer to spine, skeleton, and soft tissue injuries, though some musculoskeletal disorders may be in a different category (for example, if they are immune system disorders).
To establish a musculoskeletal disorder, you must provide evidence that you have the disorder, as well as medical and non-medical evidence that the disorder impacts your ability to function.
Skin conditions include photosensitivity disorders, ichthyosis, bullous disease, psoriasis, and dermatitis, among others. Burns fall under the skin condition category unless they require consistent surgical management.
The SSA also considers mental disabilities, which are grouped into 11 subcategories:
Determining whether someone has a qualifying mental health condition depends on how much functionality they retain despite the condition. A Kansas City lawyer can meet with you to discuss your condition and how the SSA would consider that condition in an SSDI claim.
Applying for SSDI can be a frustrating and overwhelming experience. Even when your health conditions keep you from being able to work, the SSA will be responsible for determining whether you will qualify for benefits.
Consult with the BurnettDriskill legal team to learn more about conditions covered by SSDI in Kansas City.
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