About 9.3 percent of the US adult population suffers from diabetes. Diabetes is a medical condition that is characterized by uncontrolled blood glucose levels. It is a debilitating disease that may affect a person’s kidneys, eyes, nerves, heart, and blood vessels. Diabetes is one of the leading causes of lower limb amputation, which may render a patient disabled. The Social Security Administration (SSA) provides disability benefits to individuals who are diabetic and unable to work because of their medical condition.
Qualifying For Disability Benefits in Enterprise
In order to qualify as a disabled person, an individual must meet the SSA’s definition of disability. According to the SSA, you may qualify as a disabled person if you have a medical condition that prevents you from working and is expected to last at least 12 months or has lasted for 12 months.
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A person, who suffers from diabetes complications such as retinopathy, nephropathy, neuropathy, etc., may also qualify for disability benefits if they fulfill the SSA’s eligibility requirements.
SSA Disability Listings for Diabetes
The Social Security Administration maintains a list of impairments that automatically qualify a person for Social Security Benefits or Supplemental Security Income. This list is maintained in the form of a Blue Book. Diabetes was a part of this list of impairments until 2011. Today, a diabetic person can qualify for Social Security Benefits if they have some severe symptoms of uncontrolled diabetes and cardiovascular diseases.
Diabetes Complications Listed In the Blue Book
Diabetic patients may qualify for Social Security Benefits if they suffer from any of the following diabetes complication.
Retinopathy – To meet this criterion, the diabetic patient must have a visual acuity of 20/00 or worse.
Neuropathy – Diabetes can affect you nerves as well. To be qualified as a disabled person, the patient should have symptoms of weakened muscle strength, loss of coordination and balance, inability to walk or stand, etc.
Nephropathy – Diabetes often progresses to chronic kidney disease. A diabetic person may qualify for disability if they show signs of impaired renal function and a need for dialysis or renal transplant.
Cardiovascular Problems – Diabetes can result into coronary artery disease, arrhythmia or irregular heartbeats, chronic heart failure, etc. All these conditions make a person eligible for Social Security Benefits.
Filing a Diabetes Disability Case with Enterprise Attorneys
The state provides a lot of benefits to diabetic individuals and other disabled people. If your medical condition prevents you from working, you can apply for Social Security Disability benefits. It is important that you work with a qualified Social Security Disability attorney to ensure that you meet all the eligibility requirements and follow the legal procedure of filing a diabetes disability case.
Brock & Stout has more than 18 years of experience of helping thousands and thousands of people with their legal needs. Call our office today at (334) 393-4357 and let our Social Security Disability attorneys handle your diabetes disability case.