Last Updated September 17, 2026
Conditions Center · Musculoskeletal · Social Security Disability
Also called limb loss, residual limb, post-amputation.
Limb amputation can support SSDI or SSI when the level and complications meet Listing 1.20 or when residual function, prosthesis problems, and combined impairments prevent sustained work. Cause can be trauma, vascular disease, infection, or cancer. A healed below-knee amputation with a usable prosthesis, or a finger amputation, does not automatically meet the listing.
What is Amputation?
Amputation removes all or part of a limb. Recovery includes wound healing, residual-limb shaping, prosthetic fitting when appropriate, and rehabilitation. Complications can include non-healing wounds, infection, phantom pain, contracture, and inability to wear a prosthesis. Diabetes and peripheral vascular disease are common medical causes.
Common symptoms of Amputation
- Loss of the amputated limb’s function
- Residual-limb pain, skin breakdown, or swelling
- Phantom sensation or phantom pain
- Difficulty with a prosthesis because of fit, wounds, or contralateral disease
- Reduced endurance for standing or walking
How can Amputation affect a person’s ability to work?
- Inability to lift, carry, or use both hands when upper extremities are involved
- Limited standing and walking, or need for a wheelchair
- Absences for wound care, revision surgery, or prosthetic adjustments
- Safety limits on ladders, uneven surfaces, or prolonged standing
- Extra time for donning a prosthesis and skin inspection
Does Social Security have a Listing for Amputation?
Social Security currently has listing criteria that may apply: 1.20 (Amputation due to any cause). Meeting a listing requires the specific medical findings in that listing, not only the diagnosis.
Listing 1.20 has four documented pathways: A, both upper extremities at or above the wrists; B, hemipelvectomy or hip disarticulation; C, one upper extremity at or above the wrist plus one lower extremity at or above the ankle, with specified assistive-device or remaining-arm-use criteria; and D, one or both lower extremities at or above the ankle with residual-limb complications lasting 12 months, inability to use a prosthesis, and a documented medical need for a two-handed walking device or two-handed wheeled mobility device. Non-healing residual limbs still under reconstructive surgery may be evaluated under 1.21. Partial-hand or below-wrist amputations are not 1.20A.
SSA applies Listing 1.20’s level-and-complication pathways. Duration is built into several parts of the listing. If 1.20 is not met, RFC addresses prosthetic use, contralateral limb disease, and whether a documented medical need for an assistive device leaves an upper extremity unavailable for work. Combined diabetes, vascular, or heart disease belongs in the same RFC.
Can you qualify if you do not meet an SSA Listing?
Yes. A single below-knee amputation that does not meet 1.20D may still preclude past work or other work when combined with neuropathy, heart disease, or a poorly tolerated prosthesis.
What medical evidence may help document Amputation?
- Operative reports stating the amputation level
- Residual-limb and wound-care notes over time
- Prosthetist records of fit, wear time, and reasons a prosthesis cannot be used
- Therapy gait and transfer observations
- Records of the underlying cause (vascular, diabetic, traumatic, or oncologic)
Testing, imaging, and laboratory studies
- Imaging or vascular studies of the residual or contralateral limb when used
- No laboratory value by itself meets Listing 1.20
Revision surgeries, infection treatment, and prosthetic trials should be dated. Ongoing surgical management of a non-healing residual limb may shift evaluation to Listing 1.21.
How SSA may evaluate residual functional capacity
RFC should state whether the person can stand and walk with a prosthesis for a full day and whether the contralateral limb is also impaired.
Supported limits may include no climbing, limited standing and walking, and reduced lifting or fingering depending on the level.
Common issues that can weaken a disability claim involving Amputation
Assuming any amputation meets a listing; omitting prosthetist notes; or ignoring contralateral limb and cardiac disease.
What may strengthen the medical documentation
Operative level, a 12-month residual-limb timeline, and a prosthetist’s explanation of why a device cannot be used when 1.20D is alleged.
Amputation and related medical conditions
- Diabetes — Diabetes has no standalone adult listing. SSA evaluates its documented effects on other body systems and the combined functional limits those complications cause.
- Osteoarthritis — Joint cartilage wear that can limit standing, walking, or use of the hands. SSA may consider Listing 1.18 when a major joint meets current criteria.
- Peripheral Neuropathy — Damage to peripheral nerves that may cause pain, numbness, weakness, or balance problems. Listing 11.14 applies only when its specified functional criteria are met.
- Spinal Cord Injury — SSA evaluates spinal cord disorders under Listing 11.08. Complete loss of function or specified motor and mental limits must persist three consecutive months after the disorder.
How Brock & Stout may help
We compare the amputation level and residual-limb complications with Listing 1.20, obtain prosthetic records, and develop a combined RFC. Representation cannot guarantee approval.
Frequently asked questions
No. Listing 1.20D requires specified residual-limb complications, inability to use a prosthesis, and a documented need for a two-handed assistive or mobility device. Many people work with a well-fitting prosthesis.
Listing 1.20A covers amputation of both upper extremities at or above the wrists. Below-wrist amputations are evaluated under different musculoskeletal rules.
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Speak with a Social Security Disability attorney
If Amputation is affecting your ability to work, Brock & Stout can review the claim, look for missing medical evidence, and discuss next steps. We do not charge a fee for SSD representation unless we win.
This page is general educational information about Social Security Disability as of the date of this publication. It is not legal or medical advice, does not create an attorney-client relationship, and does not guarantee results. Eligibility depends on individual facts and current Social Security rules.
