If you suffer from joint pain, then you may qualify for Social Security Disability benefits. Determining if you should apply for these benefits can be difficult, but the following information can help you decide if applying for benefits could be right for your situation.
Conditions and Symptoms Caused by Joint Pain
There are many types of conditions that can cause joint pain. Inflammation of the joint can cause pain, as can injury to ligaments, tendons, or cartilage surrounding the joints. Severe joint pain can be debilitating in many ways, including the loss of range of motion, the inability to bear weight, and even pain while at rest.
Some conditions that cause joint pain include:
Can I Qualify for Benefits?
When you are deciding if you qualify for Social Security Disability benefits, it is important to gather information from your healthcare providers to prove your condition is disabling. For joint pain, you may require an MRI or similar medical image that shows joint space narrowing, joints fusing together, or destruction of bones.
While some conditions that cause joint pain can be treated over a period of time, others are permanent. The conditions that are expected to last for a duration of more than 12 months are cases that may be considered eligible to receive disability or Social Security benefits.
Qualifying for benefits:
To qualify for benefits, you must prove:
- Condition is expected to exceed 12 months
- Anatomical deformity (subluxation, contracture, bony or fibrous ankyloses, instability)
- Involves one or more major weight-bearing joint (ex. hip, knee or ankle)
- Involves one or more major joint in each upper extremity (ex. shoulder, elbow or wrist)
When considering these qualifying factors, keep in mind that even if you do qualify, applying for Social Security Disability benefits can still be challenging. Your one or more affected weight-bearing joints must keep you from walking effectively. Being unable to walk “effectively” is defined as being unable to walk without the aid of a wheelchair, two crutches or two canes.
Reasons to hire an attorney
Many people turn to attorneys when deciding to apply for Social Security Disability benefits. Attorneys can assist you with paperwork, or defend you in court if need be. There are many benefits of having an attorney handle your case:
- Experience with handling cases in results
- Up to 90% approval rate
- Paid on contingency
Attorneys are paid on contingency, which means if you lose the case, they do not get paid at all. This is not only more incentive for them to do their very best to win the case – but also it ensures you that you will not have a huge bill you cannot pay if you lose the case. If you do win, the attorney’s fees will come from your back pay settlement. An attorney typically receives 25% of the total back pay amount OR $6,000, whichever is less.
To learn more about filing for Social Security Disability benefits with a major dysfunction of the joint or to learn more about working with a Social Security Disability lawyer, simply fill out our free evaluation form.
