Working and earning a living can be challenging when you have breathing problems. Simple, everyday activities like walking, cleaning, or concentrating become a considerable challenge.
Worse still, proving that your condition hinders you from working is infuriatingly difficult. The SSA, the Department of Veterans Affairs, and disability insurers routinely challenge disability claims for respiratory disorders.
But if you still want to take your chances, you may wonder, “What respiratory problems qualify for SSA disability?”
You may qualify for Social Security disability benefits if you have severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), including restrictive lung disease, asthma, and emphysema.
Let us have a more detailed look at these respiratory disorders.
Social Security Disability Eligibility Criteria
The SSA’s criteria for total disability are the same irrespective of the type of disability you present. Generally, to qualify for Social Security disability benefits, the SSA must determine that:
- You are incapable of doing the work you previously could
- You cannot adjust to another line of work
- Your disability has lasted or will likely last for at least twelve months or result in death, and
- Your disability meets the Blue Book criteria
You may be eligible for disability benefits with a respiratory condition since the requirements are the same for any other disability. However, it takes much longer to rule out a respiratory problem as a total disability compared to other disabilities.
Usually, you must record your respiratory disorders while detailing how they have hindered you from working. You can do this with the help of your treating doctor.
What Respiratory Problems Qualify for SSA Disability?
So, what respiratory problems qualify for SSA disability? Some respiratory disorders generally considered for disability benefits include:
Asthma
With asthma, you must show that your condition prevents you from working or affecting your everyday activities to qualify for disability benefits.
You must be experiencing asthma attacks that require medical attention after every two months for the SSA to consider your condition as a total disability.
Asthma attacks that warrant hospital admission count as two attacks.
Emphysema
Individuals with injured lung tissue are said to have emphysema. Chronic cough is the main symptom of this condition.
Emphysema is frequently, but not always, caused by cigarette smoking. You must show that you comply with your doctor’s orders to be eligible for disability benefits if you have emphysema.
Typically, this entails quitting smoking and engaging in any prescribed treatments and medications.
Restrictive lung disease
Restrictive lung disease (RLD) blocks your lungs from effectively exchanging gases and ventilating. Your blood does not get enough oxygen as a result.
RLD may arise from bacterial or viral infections, but it is most frequently brought on by exposure to asbestos or radiation therapy, which is used for cancer treatment.
It may also manifest as an adverse effect of various significant illnesses. Like many other respiratory conditions, you must demonstrate how your RLD prevents you from performing any meaningful job.
Stroke-related respiratory issues
Many stroke victims experience respiratory problems as they recuperate. Those with severe respiratory disorders qualify for disability benefits.
The SSA mainly uses lung capacity examinations to establish whether your condition is severe enough to qualify you for benefits.
You must also carefully record any episode of shortness of breath and how it affected your routine tasks and related post-stroke symptoms.
Medical Evidence for Your Social Security Disability Claim
If you are applying for Social Security disability based on your respiratory problem, you must provide proof of your illness to enable the SSA to assess your eligibility.
The SSA will use the Blue Book to assess your claim. The Blue Book is a thorough index of medical disorders, which serves as a starting point for deciding whether to approve an application for disability payments.
When you file for disability benefits, the SSA determines whether your condition satisfies the disability criteria by comparing it to the Blue Book.
Section 3.00 of the Blue Book discusses respiratory conditions. Cystic fibrosis and asthma are just a few of the adult respiratory conditions covered in Section 3.00.
Ensure you attach a medical report from your healthcare provider stating your diagnosis and any relevant lab test, imaging scan, and surgery outcomes along with your application.
Include the medications you are taking and mention whether you have suffered any adverse effects. For instance, you may have experienced adverse effects of steroids in your prescription, affecting your capacity to work.
Provide as much evidence as you can when filing your claim. Lung problems vary, so providing supporting documents is vital to help the SSA recognize your specific condition.
Qualifying for Respiratory Problems Disability Using GRID Rules
In some cases, your condition may fail to meet the disability criteria as outlined in the Blue Book. But you can still be eligible for disability benefits under the GRID Rules or medical-vocational allowance.
The GRID Rules determine your capacity to work based on your health. The SSA will consider your residual functional capacity (RFC), age, level of education, work history, and experience when determining your ability to handle your job duties.
Your RFC determines the maximum work you can perform based on the constraints of your disabling condition.
The SSA will also consider both exertional demands of your work (standing, sitting, walking, and lifting) and non-exertional demands (visual, postural, and communicative) to determine your ability to work with modifications that accommodate your disorder or in a completely different position.
You can be eligible for disability payments if they determine that you cannot work under the GRID Rules.
Social Security Disability Breathing Tests
If you have breathing problems, you will undergo several tests to determine whether you qualify for disability benefits.
Spirometry is the most common test used to determine your condition’s severity. With this test, you exhale into a spirometer, measuring the air volume you can breathe in and out.
The results appear as a curve on a spirogram graph. The SSA will schedule a test for you if you have chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and are yet to have a spirometry test.
Sometimes, the SSA will ask you to undergo another test to ascertain your eligibility even if you have spirometry test results.
Remember, you must present verifiable evidence, not just diagnostic test results for breathing problems. You must also demonstrate that the symptoms of your condition limit your ability to work.
Other tests used to measure respiratory problems include the diffusing capacity of the lungs for carbon monoxide (Dlco) and arterial blood gas study (ABGS).
Paralyzed Diaphragm Disability
You may be eligible for disability benefits if you have a paralyzed diaphragm. To begin with, you must satisfy the Blue Book’s disability requirements.
A medical diagnosis begins with a physical checkup, which involves an assessment of the symptoms you present and your medical history.
The doctor carrying out the diagnostic test will have you lay flat on an examination table and observe the abdominal wall’s movement as you inhale.
The doctor may also carry out several chest X-rays to look out for damaged lungs and ultrasound imaging to check the diaphragm’s range of motion.
Can You Collect Disability Benefits for Respiratory Disease?
If you satisfy the Blue Book criteria for respiratory illnesses, you could be eligible for disability benefits.
The SSA considers various factors before approving you for Social Security disability benefits. First, you must satisfy the severity of symptom requirements for respiratory disorders.
The agency also needs to know when you got the respiratory disorder diagnosis. Third, your doctor must issue a written prognosis predicting whether you will recover fully or partially from the illness.
The last factor to consider when establishing whether you qualify for Social Security disability benefits is your response to treatments.
How to Apply for Respiratory Disorder Disability Benefits
You can file for disability in three ways: in person, online, or by mail.
To file an online application, sign up on the SSA website. You may access and complete the application form once you have logged in. Additionally, you can attach all your medical records after logging in.
The date you apply for Social Security Disability benefits online counts as the first day you will receive back pay if approved for benefits.
If you want to submit a paper application, download one from the Social Security Administration website or get one from your nearest branch office.
If sending the application by mail, save a copy of the form and any supporting documents in case the original gets lost in transit.
Note: If you intend to file for disability benefits, write to the SSA beforehand and ask for a protective filing date. That will act as the first date of your application instead of the submission date.
Speak With a Social Security Disability Lawyer Now!
If you are suffering from a respiratory disorder that qualifies you for Social Security Disability, initiate the application process immediately because respiratory claims sometimes take a long time to verify.
Consider speaking with a Social Security Disability attorney to guide you through the claims process.
At Legal Giant, we can link you with a local disability lawyer who will help you gather the evidence you need to prove your claim and increase your chances of approval.
Contact us at 833-641-1650 for a free consultation and evaluation of your case.
