Arthritis


Including: Osteoarthritis, Inflammatory Arthritis, Ankylosis, Rheumatoid Arthritis, Spondyloarthropathy, Erosions or Fusions, Ankylosing Spondylitis, Sacroiliitis, and Degenerative Joint Disease.

In order to be granted Social Security Disability or SSI benefits your arthritis must be affecting you to the point that you will not be able to do any kind of work for at least 12 months. If you are unable to do the work you currently do, consider whether or not you could reasonably do another job. If you still feel like you couldn’t, then you may have a good claim. You should be able to show a history of swelling, joint pain, and tenderness in the joints where you have arthritis. You should be able to give a good idea as to the frequency of pain and explain just how painful it is.

Something else they will look for is if you have trouble walking or can’t walk without pain, or if you have difficulty with your fine or gross movements or a loss of function. Something else that will be considered is the affect on your organs and other symptoms, such as fatigue, fever, and weight loss.

As with any disability, your chances of being granted increase if you have consistent medical records of your condition. If you have not seen any doctors within a few months of your application, you may be sent to a doctor who will evaluate your condition. It is best to have your own doctor.

If you are not sure whether or not your claim would qualify for benefits, give us a call. It is always best to get an application in if you are unsure. Some people wait so long that they lose their eligibility for Social Security, and many lose months of benefits for waiting to apply.

The medical listings that describe the criteria for Arthritis are; SSA 1.00 Musculoskeletal System, and 14.09 Inflammatory Arthritis.