You might think that an amputation would automatically qualify you to receive Social Security disability benefits but that’s not the case.
If you have an limb amputated you will need to file a claim for Social Security disability benefits and still provide medical documentation showing that your amputation will cause a severe impairment in activities of daily living and working in order to be approved for disability benefits.
The Social Security Administration’s Blue Book can help you figure out what medical evidence you need in order to prove your won’t be able to work.
How to Blue Book Can Help You Medically Qualify After an Amputation
Every listing that’s in the Blue Book corresponds to a particular condition. Those listings also contain any unique medical requirements that you need to prove that you meet in order to be approved for disability benefits. Amputations are covered by section 1.05 of the Blue Book which states that you can qualify for disability benefits with an amputation if you have:
- Both hands amputated,
- One or both lower extremities amputated at or above the ankle, with stump complications that prevent the use of prosthetics (which are not expected to heal in less than 12 months),
- One hand and one lower extremity at or above the ankle, with an inability to walk or move effectively,
- A hemipelvectomy or hip disarticulation.
Some other types of amputation may not be considered serious enough to limit your ability to find a type of work that you can do.
You can always file a claim for benefits if you have another type of amputation and make a case that you need disability benefits by using your medical records to show that your amputation makes it impossible to work.
Medical Evidence Do I Need to Win an Amputation Claim?
The first thing that you need to document your medical status is a diagnosis. You will always need a doctor’s diagnosis to back up your claim. If you are trying to prove that you can’t work because of an amputation you will need to submit things like:
- X rays and MRI results
- Blood tests
- Surgery notes and documentation
- Physical therapy notes and documentations
Your medical history should also be included with the other documents that you are planning on submitting to the Social Security Administration so that they have a full picture of your health status when they’re making their decision about your eligibility for benefits.
Your physical therapist, doctor, and even your family and friends can also submit statements testifying to the impact that the amputation has had on you.
Help Filing for Disability Benefits with an Amputation Claim
Get a Free Case Evaluation Today: A lawyer may be able to assist in helping with disability benefits. Your focus should be on your health and learning to adjust to live after an amputation not on paperwork.
