Social Security Disability Benefits (SSDI) is a federal program to help the disabled with cash payments. When you apply your eligibility is determined by a state agency called the Disability Determination Service (DDS). Here applications are processed or rejected based on several factors, including the type and severity of the disability. Roughly 60% of all applications are eventually rejected. For this reason, it is very important for an applicant seeking benefits to retain an attorney and present evidence of a disability that the agency is familiar with.
There are many accepted impairments, but are there any conditions that will automatically qualify you for benefits? In this article, we’ll answer that question and look at the Social Security Association’s “blue book” of impairments.
Can I Automatically Qualify?
There is no such thing as automatic acceptance for disability benefits. You will still have to prove the severity of your disability. A rejection from the DDS is a denial of the existence of your disability, but simply a decision that you are still able to do some sort of work full-time.
That said, there are a series of disabilities that the Social Security Administration (SSA) has outlined as a basis for benefits. This list is sometimes referred to as the SSA’s “disabilities blue book.”
The Disabilities Blue Book
Here is a list of the disabilities that the SSA considers valid enough to warrant benefits. These are not “automatically” approved, however, as the severity of the disorder and its impact on your life are still thoroughly examined.
- Musculoskeletal disorders (bone and joint injuries, especially those relating to the spine)
- Special senses and speech (loss of vision or speech)
- Respiratory illness (e.g., chronic bronchitis or asthma)
- Cardiovascular disorders (e.g., chronic heart failure)
- Digestive system disorders (e.g., liver disease and irritable bowel syndrome)
- Genitourinary disorders (kidney disease)
- Hematological disorders (blood disease)
- Skin disorders (severe burns or other skin disorders)
- Endocrine disorders (e.g., pituitary or thyroid gland illness)
- Congenital illnesses that affect multiple body systems (e,g., Down syndrome)
- Neurological disorders (e.g., brain tumors or epilepsy)
- Mental disorders (e.g., bipolar, anxiety, or depression)
- Cancer
- Immune system disorders (e.g., HIV, lupus, or inflammatory arthritis)
For more information about qualifying disabilities and the benefits you may be entitled to, connect Drew L. Johnson, P.C. Attorneys At Law, at (541) 434-6466.
