What Conditions Qualify for Disability in Indiana and Ohio?

How to Tell if You Have a Strong Case for Social Security Disability

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This is one of the first questions people have about Social Security Disability: “Do I have a strong case for benefits?”

The most important thing to know is that regardless of your exact diagnosis, the way your health interferes with work is the key to your disability claim.

These benefits aren’t a handout. Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) aims to help tax-paying workers replace part of their wages after medical problems cause them to stop working or to work less.

The Fort Wayne disability attorneys at Fletcher Van Gilder can help you figure out if you have a qualifying impairment.

Many conditions that potentially qualify for disability benefits appear on an official listing that Social Security keeps.

The list includes musculoskeletal, cardiovascular, respiratory, immune system, cancer, mental health and other disorders.

The entry for each qualifying medical issue can give you an idea of how a claims examiner at Social Security will look at specific ailments and determine whether to award benefits.

But the process doesn’t stop with that. You can also have medical conditions not on the list, which means you need strong documentation of how your health limitations interfere with your everyday functioning.

Knowing the standards the Social Security Administration (SSA) uses for evaluating health issues can help when you apply for disability.

Still, most Hoosiers receive denials at first, even when they have a condition on the list.

When you work with the disability attorneys at Fletcher Van Gilder, we can help you build a more convincing disability claim.

Our attorneys have extensive experience in the specifics of Social Security Disability law. We’ve helped hundreds of people fight benefit denials.

If you wonder whether you have a qualifying condition, or need to know how Social Security might examine a disability claim like yours, we are happy to discuss it with you.

Contact us for a FREE disability claim consultation.

Examples of Conditions that Can Qualify for Social Security Disability

These are some common conditions among people who seek or are approved for Social Security Disability benefits:

Anxiety disorders
Arthritis (osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis)
Back and spine disorders (degenerative disc disease, spinal stenosis, chronic lower back pain)
Bipolar disorder
Cancer (multiple types)
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
Depression
Diabetes
Fibromyalgia
Heart disease (heart failure, ischemic/coronary artery disease, arrhythmias)
Kidney disease (chronic kidney disease and renal failure)
Multiple sclerosis (MS)
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
Schizophrenia and other psychotic disorders

This is just a sample. Many health conditions can qualify for disability benefits if they are severe enough to prevent you from working full time.

If you can show Social Security that you meet its definition of disability, you can be approved.

You need to prove that:

You have severe health conditions.
You can’t work because of your health.
Your health problems and inability to work will last at least 12 months.

The FVG Indiana disability lawyers can talk to you about how the SSA evaluates applications for benefits and what you can do to build the strongest possible claim.

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Why Having a Listed Impairment Isn’t Enough

You could still be denied disability benefits even if you have an impairment that Social Security lists as potentially qualifying.

Many ailments, like asthma, liver disease, and even some cancers and heart conditions, vary greatly in severity. It can be possible to continue working even if you’ve been diagnosed with a listed condition.

Some eligible health problems, such as mental health issues and chronic pain disorders, are hard to document in a way that claims examiners can clearly see and understand.

Applying for disability benefits may require answering these kinds of questions:

What job experience do you have?
When did your health problems first affect your ability to work?
Could you do a different job?
Have you been consistently treating your medical condition?
What does your doctor say about your everyday capabilities and your mental or physical limitations?
How has your condition progressed? Has it gotten worse over time?
How does your health affect your ability to perform daily tasks like chores or personal care?

This process is very personal, because it requires honesty about the severity of your symptoms and how your condition affects your daily life.

But you don’t have to try to win disability benefits on your own when you’re struggling with health issues and worrying about your finances.

Contact our Fort Wayne Social Security Disability lawyers if you think you have a qualifying condition.

We’ve guided many people across Northeast Indiana, Central Indiana and Northwest Ohio when they needed financial relief.

See how the FVG team can support your claim and help you win benefits you are entitled to receive.

Contact Us Today.

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