Coagulation defects and hemophilia can make it dangerous and difficult or impossible to perform any meaningful work. Coagulation defects (of which hemophilia is the most common) cause you to bleed frequently and to have difficulty clotting and stopping the bleeding.
Coagulation defects and hemophilia are listed in the Social Security Administration’s Blue Book as conditions that may qualify you for Social Security Disability benefits. This means that there are specific conditions laid out under which coagulation defects and hemophilia may be objectively measured to see whether you qualify for Social Security Disability benefits.
The specific Social Security Disability requirements for coagulation defects and hemophilia are you must experience spontaneous bleeding serious enough to require blood transfusions at least three times in the five months prior to benefits being granted. If you have had three bleeding episodes in the past five months that required a transfusion, you should have little trouble with your application for Social Security Disability benefits being accepted, as long as the medical documentation is in order.
If you do not meet the specific requirements, you can still make a case that your coagulation defects and hemophilia prevent you from performing any meaningful work (and thus qualify you for Social Security Disability benefits), but you will need to prove that you cannot perform any work which you have done before or for which you could reasonably be trained. This will generally involve going through the appeals process. Should you find yourself in this situation, consider seeking advice and representation from a qualified Social Security Disability lawyer.
Effects of Coagulation Defects and Hemophilia on Your Ability to Perform Physical Work
Spontaneous hemorrhaging can make it difficult to hold down any job requiring physical work. On top of that, your body’s inability to form blood clots makes many forms of work extremely dangerous. What may be a fairly safe environment can be much more dangerous to those with coagulation defects because routine injuries can cause excessive blood loss.
While coagulation defects do not generally have a direct effect on your ability to stand, sit, push, pull, lift, bend, or perform other activity which physical work typically requires, it does affect your safety while on the job. The Social Security Administration recognizes hemophilia as a serious enough problem to warrant Social Security Disability benefits, as long as the condition is determined to be severe enough to prevent you from performing any meaningful work which is available.
Effects of Coagulation Defects and Hemophilia on Your Ability to Perform Sedentary Work
If you have previously performed sedentary work, or are young enough and educated enough that you could reasonably be trained to perform sedentary work (typically under 55 and possessing a high school level education), the Social Security Administration may determine that you are capable of performing forms of sedentary work which do not pose an occupational hazard for those with coagulation defects and hemophilia.
Severe cases of coagulation defects and hemophilia will prevent you from performing even sedentary work, of course, but the onus is on you to prove that your condition makes it impossible for you to continue working, even in sedentary occupations.
A Social Security Disability attorney may be able to help you win your appeal, should your initial application for Social Security Disability benefits be turned down. They work with Social Security Disability cases on a regular basis, and are aware of the kinds of documentation the SSA will need to see before they approve you for Social Security Disability benefits based on coagulation defects and hemophilia.
