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Understanding the Listing of Impairments

You may never have heard of the Social Security Administration (SSA)’s listing of impairments. You may also have heard rumors that your disability has to be on a certain list for you to qualify for Social Security disability (SSD) benefits.

At The Law Offices of Kenneth Hiller, PLLC, our attorneys will be happy to explain what the listing of impairments is and what it isn’t. Contact us today to set up a free consultation. We serve clients in Buffalo New York.

Pursuing SSD and SSI Benefits for People With Listed Impairments

The listing of impairments is a set of specific medical disorders that the SSA has recognized as causing total disability. If you can prove that you have one of these illnesses beyond a certain level of severity and you otherwise qualify for SSD, your claim should be approved.

This is not a complete list of all the disorders that qualify people for SSD. Having a listed impairment only means you do not have to go through the additional step of proving your inability to work. The listed impairments for adults are grouped into 14 categories:

  • Musculoskeletal disorders (joint and spine problems, amputation, etc.)
  • Sense and speech impairments (blindness, deafness, loss of speech, etc.)
  • Respiratory disorders (asthma, cystic fibrosis, sleep apnea, lung disease, etc.)
  • Cardiovascular disorders (chronic heart failure, heart disease, aneurysm, etc.)
  • Digestive disorders (liver disease, bowel disease, chronic weight loss, etc.)
  • Genitourinary (reproductive and urinary) disorders (kidney failure, etc.)
  • Hematological (blood) disorders (anemia, sickle cell disease, hemophilia, etc.)
  • Skin disorders (chronic infections, dermatitis, burns, etc.)
  • Endocrine disorders (diabetes, thyroid disorders, etc.)
  • Multiple body system disorders (Down syndrome, etc.)
  • Neurological disorders (Parkinson’s disease, cerebral palsy, multiple sclerosis, etc.)
  • Mental illness (schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, mental retardation, etc.)
  • Malignant neoplasms (cancer) (skin cancer, lung cancer, breast cancer, etc.)
  • Immune system disorders (HIV/AIDS, rheumatoid arthritis, etc.)

Our attorneys leave no stone unturned when it comes to obtaining disability benefits for our clients. Even if you have a listed impairment, we will still take the time to obtain evidence that you are unable to work just in case SSA finds that the evidence is insufficient to establish that you meet a listing.

To discuss your case with an experienced disability benefits lawyer, contact us today.

Social Security Practice Areas