Filing For Social Security Disability Benefits With Emphysema In Chicago

People working in a polluted environment with a lot of dust and smoke involved can get emphysema. Secondary cigarette smoke inhaled for a very long time can cause the person to suffer from emphysema. Since there is no known cure for the ailment, the suggested form of treatment would include a lung transplant and regular medication.

Getting surgery is often ruled out for a lot of people because the patient would become too weak to survive the transplant. Those who have undergone transplant surgery are generally successful but are still extremely limited in the amount of physical exertion they can undertake and must remain on medication for the remainder of their lives. The prognosis being bleak, the disease can affect the patient’s life considerably.

Emphysema symptoms

People suffering from emphysema are known to experience the following symptoms:

• Excessive mucus generation
• Shortness of breath
• Have difficulty in breathing
• Wheezing
• Skin discoloration
• Low oxygen levels in their blood
• Irritability
• Heart ailments
• Mental impairments
• Chronic headaches
• insomnia

The symptoms may be mild initially but gradually worsen over time. The conditions mentioned in the latter part of the list are more serious symptoms associated with emphysema.

Those suffering from emphysema may develop chronic bronchitis, which further leads to chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Even for those who may not get COPD, emphysema itself can be debilitating and cause the patient to experience fatigue from the slightest physical exertion while working. Therefore, emphysema can be categorized as a disability.

Does SSA consider emphysema?

The Social Security Administration (SSA) has recognized emphysema as a disabling condition and has laid down guidelines regarding the severity of the symptoms that will qualify when applying for disability benefits. The eligibility criteria emphasizes how severe the condition must be to claim disability benefits from SSA.

Can a claimant be automatically approved by SSA?

People who suffer from emphysema often experience difficulties at work, especially the physical kind such as lifting, bending, and walking for an extended period of time, which can cause the symptoms to worsen. Physical exertion frequently leads to shortness of breath and difficulty breathing. 

A patient can apply for Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) or Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits if they are unable to work. Their application should include medical records for validation of the condition. The SSA will review the applicant’s creditable work history.

They may also investigate whether your condition disables you from working, in accordance with the disability claims process. This assessment ascertains whether you are entitled to receive disability benefits related to emphysema or not.

The SSA may also check whether you could do other jobs that do not need as much physical exertion or that do not trigger your symptoms. If you can qualify to perform another job, your application for disability benefits may be denied, disability benefits that you have been pursuing all the while. 

You can now ascertain that, even with thorough documentation filed with your disability claim, there is never an “automatic” approval. If you have a condition listed in the SSA Blue Book of disabling conditions, your application may proceed faster, but you will not be awarded benefits until the SSA personnel are satisfied that you meet every eligibility requirement. They will check and counter-check your documents for authenticity while adjudicating your benefit claim.

What medical evidence is needed to qualify?

The medical records you provide as documentation for your claim needs to clearly indicate all the restrictions and limitations imposed upon you by the condition, especially on your physical activities. The doctor will check whether you have developed a chronic obstructive pulmonary disease or other conditions that cause a person difficulty breathing. The doctor should certify your diagnoses and symptoms in the medical record.

If your emphysema, COPD , or other respiratory condition is caused by smoking tobacco, then it may be more difficult to qualify for disability benefits; however, if you are a non-smoker, you may be able to file a successful disability for emphysema application.

What are the medical requirements to win SSD benefits?

The SSA has a Blue Book that contains the medical criteria of qualifying disabling conditions, which are the SSA’s guidelines to verify whether your claims can be approved or not. The SSA evaluates respiratory disorders like emphysema that result in obstruction, restriction, or that interfere with diffusion across cell membranes in the lungs. Examples of such disorders and the listings SSA uses to evaluate them include:

• chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (chronic bronchitis and emphysema, 3.02)
• pulmonary fibrosis and pneumoconiosis (3.02)
• asthma (3.02 or 3.03)
• cystic fibrosis (3.04)
• bronchiectasis (3.02 or 3.07)
• respiratory failure (3.04D or 3.14)
• chronic pulmonary hypertension (3.09)
• lung transplantation (3.11)

Each condition requires respiratory testing results that are compared to the Blue Book’s criteria. If you have a listed medical condition, with test results that meet the Blue Book criteria, you are well on your way to qualifying for disability benefits.

How can a lawyer help?

Thousands of applicants apply for disability benefits from SSA every year and are denied. For navigating the legality of such an arduous process, contact a knowledgeable Social Security Disability attorney for help.

They can assist you by collecting documentation and medical records, ensuring that your application forms are completed accurately, and can represent you at hearings if necessary. They can also help you on appeal if you have filed the claim yourself and were denied by the SSA.