Qualifying Conditions for Social Security Disability in Chicago

Social Security disability programs have strict guidelines on requirements for receiving disability benefits in Chicago, including claimants having qualifying conditions for Social Security Disability. The Social Security Administration’s Blue Book lists the conditions eligible for disability and the criteria you must meet for each condition. You can still qualify with an unlisted condition if it’s similar to a listed condition. Understanding the qualifying conditions can help you navigate the disability claims process better and increase your chances of getting a successful outcome.

Contact the Chicago Social Security disability attorneys at DePaolo & Zadeikis by dialing 312-263-7560 for answers to questions concerning your disability case.

What Is Social Security Disability?

Social Security Disability programs provide monthly payments to persons who can’t work due to a disability. Eligibility for the programs requires knowing how to prove you can’t work. Social Security pays disability benefits under Supplemental Security Income (SSI) and Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) disability programs.

The SSDI program pays benefits to disabled former workers and certain family members. The workers need to have a disability, worked enough years, and have paid Social Security taxes during those years they worked. The SSI program is available to disabled adults and children with very limited income and resources. You don’t require a work history to qualify for SSI.

You can qualify for one or both of these Social Security programs.

What Are the Qualifying Conditions for Social Security Disability in Illinois?

The SSA’s impairment listing manual, known as the Blue Book, is a key tool in understanding qualifying conditions for Social Security Disability in Illinois. It lists medical conditions that may qualify a claimant for SSDI or SSI benefits. The various diseases and disorders affecting different bodily systems are classified into 14 major categories. The listed major categories under which people are commonly approved for disability benefits include:

• Musculoskeletal disorders: The musculoskeletal system comprises the muscles, bones, joints, and the adjacent connective tissues that help you maintain movement. Approximately 30% of SSDI recipients receive benefits for these disorders. The disorders account for about 12% of SSI recipients. Musculoskeletal disorders that the SSA recognizes include arthritis, degenerative disc disease, spine disorders, soft tissue injuries, amputations, and lower and upper extremity fractures.
• Mental disorders: These are the most common conditions among SSI beneficiaries. The Blue Book contains 11 categories of mental disorders, including neurocognitive disorders, intellectual disorder, depressive or bipolar disorders, obsessive-compulsive and related disorders, autism spectrum disorder, psychotic disorders, impulse control disorders, and stress and trauma-related disorders. Musculoskeletal and mental disorders have accounted for the biggest percentage of disability determinations over the last two decades.
• Neurological disorders: These include a broad set of conditions affecting the spinal cord, brain, and nerves. Nervous system diseases account for 10% of SSDI beneficiaries and 8% of SSI beneficiaries with disabling conditions under 65. SSI and SSDI qualifying conditions under this category include multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s disease, cerebral palsy, early-onset Alzheimer’s disease, epilepsy, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), stroke, and traumatic brain injury (TBI).
• Cardiovascular conditions: A significant number of people have historically received disability benefits for conditions affecting the heart or circulatory system. According to the SSA’s Annual Statistical Report released in October 2023, diseases of the circulatory system accounted for 6.7% of all disabled beneficiaries. Cardiovascular conditions that can qualify for disability benefits include chronic heart failure, ischemic heart disease, coronary artery disease, recurrent arrhythmias, aortic aneurysms, and heart transplants.
• Sensory impairments: Many disability beneficiaries have visual disorders, blindness, ear disorders, deafness, or other sensory disorders as a primary or secondary impairment. According to the SSA’s most recent data, there are 4,757 people receiving Social Security disability benefits because of deafness or blindness in Chicago and the rest of Illinois.
• Respiratory conditions: According to the SSA Annual Statistical Report, about 2.4% of all disabled beneficiaries have a respiratory condition. Respiratory conditions that are covered include chronic bronchitis, severe asthma, chronic pulmonary hypertension, cystic fibrosis, lung transplant, respiratory failure, and sleep-related breathing problems.

Other listed categories include cancers, endocrine system disorders like diabetes, congenital disorders affecting various body systems, immune system disorders like lupus and HIV, genitourinary disorders affecting the genital and urinary organs, digestive disorders such as liver problems and bowel disorders, skin disorders like dermatitis and burns, and hematological disorders found in the blood-forming organs and blood.

Each listing lays out the signs, severity of the symptoms, laboratory tests, and clinical findings that a medical condition must meet to be considered disabling. Therefore, even if your condition is listed, you’ll need to ensure it satisfies the disability requirements outlined by the SSA. That’s why you should hire a lawyer experienced in handling disability cases. A lawyer will be familiar with the Blue Book and its technical rules, and know the medical evidence needed to match the SSA’s requirements for your condition.

What Conditions Automatically Qualify You for Disability?

In addition to the Blue Book impaired listing, the SSA has a list of conditions that qualify for automatic disability approval under the Compassionate Allowances (CAL) program. The program aims to expedite the disability approval process for people with severe conditions. CAL conditions are usually deemed sufficiently disabling as soon as a diagnosis is confirmed. Such conditions include advanced cancers, early-onset Alzheimer’s disease, ALS, malignant multiple sclerosis, and several rare disorders affecting children.

What If Your Condition Isn’t Listed?

The Blue Book listing of disabling conditions isn’t exhaustive. It’s not possible to list all disabling injuries and illnesses in the Social Security handbook. You can still qualify for Social Security disability benefits even if your condition isn’t listed in the Blue Book, or it’s listed but doesn’t match the exact impairment listing requirements.

In these instances, you can be approved for disability benefits if you show your condition is medically equivalent to a listed impairment. You can equal a listed impairment if the severity of your condition is similar to that of a listed impairment. For example, your condition could be found to be of equal medical significance to a comparable listing if the results of lab tests you took give the same results as tests required by the listing.

You can also equal a listing through a combination of impairments. If you have multiple impairments that don’t individually match a disability listing, you can still medically qualify for disability if the combined effects of the impairments are equal to the effects of at least one disability listing.

Disability approval is possible even if your medical condition doesn’t equal a listed condition’s criteria. You can still qualify for disability if it can be proven that your condition limits you physically or mentally to the point that you can’t work.

In the cases above, Social Security disabilities lawyers can be invaluable by offering legal advice best suited to your condition. A disability lawyer can also help you gather the right evidence.

How to Apply for Social Security Disability in Chicago

Understanding the qualifying conditions for Social Security Disability and how to apply for disability benefits is essential to getting the financial assistance you need. You can file your application online, over the phone, or in person at a local Chicago Social Security office.

The SSA will require you to provide the following information:

• Personal information
• Your condition and treatment
• How your condition affects your ability to work
• Information about your work history

The application will have to be thorough, and you’ll need to answer the questions honestly, concisely, and consistently. After your application is submitted, the Illinois Disability Determination Services (DDS) will review it. A decision could be made based on the information you’ve provided. You could be requested to provide more information before a determination is made, or asked to report for a special examination or test by an examiner the agency chooses.

The process of applying for Social Security disability benefits in Illinois can be complex and challenging. It’s time-consuming and requires attention to detail and accompanying documentation and evidence. Many people find it overwhelming to gather the necessary evidence. Unsurprisingly, many initial applications are denied due to inadequate evidence and application errors.

Fortunately, you have the right to seek assistance from a Social Security disability lawyer. A disability lawyer can make a huge difference to the outcome of your case by ensuring your application is correct, complete, and compelling, gathering and adding the required documents and supporting evidence to your application, handling communication with the SSA, and preparing you for any special evaluation requested by the SSA.Whether you want to apply for disability benefits or file an appeal for a denied claim, the Chicago disability lawyers at DePaolo & Zadeikis can help. Contact us for a free, no-obligation consultation.