Conditions of the Legs, Hips, and Feet
Can Lower Body Conditions Make Me Eligible?
Lower body injuries and conditions are generally difficult when it comes to getting you approved for Social Security Disability, however, our attorneys have handles many cases where people with hip replacements, knee replacements, or other lower body conditions have been approved. The most effective way to show someone is disabled with a lower body injury or condition is by showing that there is a dysfunction of a major, weight bearing, joint. These types of conditions will generally limit a person’s ability to walk, stand for extended periods of time, bend, stoop, and even sit for long periods of time.
How Does Social Security View Lower Body Injuries and Conditions?
When Social Security looks at the severity of your condition to determine if you are medically eligible for the benefit or not, they look at two main criteria. The two main questions Social Security asks are whether your condition meets or equals a listing, or whether your condition affects your ability to do certain tasks so much that you can no longer perform any kind of work competitively.
Lower body injuries and conditions are generally difficult to prove as disabilities because they are not always permanent (or even long term) and generally the person is still able to work if most of the work is done sitting down. It is best to contact an attorney at our office immediately to determine whether your condition is one that Social Security will consider permanently disabling.
Listings:
Listings are 14 different types of conditions, that if you meet the exact criteria Social Security has set up, you will be considered medically eligible for Disability.
Joint Condition Listing (1.02):
For your lower body injury or condition to meet the Social Security listing, there must be acceptable medical evidence (MRI, Ultrasound, X-Ray, CT Scan) that shows joint space narrowing, fusion of the joint, or bones being destroyed by constant friction. If the joint that is affected is a weight bearing joint (knee, ankle, or hip), you must only have a major dysfunction in one joint, as long as it significantly interferes with the ability to walk even with assistance (cane, walker, or someone to lean on).
Functional Ability:
If you do not meet the listing for a condition, or if a specific listing does not exist for your condition, you can still win your case if you show that you are unable to do any sort of competitive work due to your condition.
Many people are discouraged when they hear that their condition may not exactly meet a listing, and they think that their case has no shot, but this is not the case. Most people who are awarded benefits because of lower body injuries or conditions win by proving that their arthritis affects their ability to function on a day-to-day basis.
To prove your case based on your functional ability you have to show that your specific lower body injury or condition keeps you from being able to perform any type of work on a full-time competitive basis. The best way to do this is by showing how your arthritis affects your ability to stand for long periods of time, sit for long periods of time, walk long distances, bend, or lift heavy objects. Even most seated positions require some physical labor, such as standing or walking for a small portion of the day (usually around 2 hours out of an 8 hour work day).
The best way to show how your lower body injury or condition limits your ability to do these types of activities is by having your attorney and your doctor work together to explain the effect on your body. We create specialized medical assessment forms for your doctors to fill out and work directly with your doctors to explain how your condition affects you to the judge.
Call our office today and see if you qualify:
While we provide the information above about Social Security Disability benefits so that you will better understand if you are eligible, the best way to check your eligibility is by calling our office and speaking to one of our client service representatives today. You may reach our office toll free at 1-800-488-4775.