Social Security Disability checks can make a considerable difference in easing your financial burdens. However, not everyone who has a serious medical condition is eligible to collect Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) benefits.

At Schaffer & Associates, our dedicated attorneys can help disabled individuals who have a medically determinable impairment in Findlay obtain payments from the Social Security Administration (SSA). We can help you understand what kind of evidence you need to prove your disability, demonstrate that it prevents you from working, and establish your eligibility to collect SSDI benefits.

What Is a Medically Determinable Impairment According to State Law?

According to the SSA, to obtain SSDI payment checks in Findlay or the surrounding area, your condition must meet the strict legal definition of a clinically determinable impairment that is severe enough to prevent you from working. You must prove that your medical condition is a mental or physical impairment that occurred from psychological, physiological, or anatomical abnormalities.

The SSA lists the following categories of disabilities for adults in the Blue Book Listing of Impairments for Adults:

  • Musculoskeletal disorders, which can be either acquired, such as amputations, or congenital, such as birth defects resulting in deformities
  • Special senses or speech disorders, such as vision loss or blindness, hearing loss or deafness, vertigo, and loss of speech
  • Respiratory disorders, including asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and cystic fibrosis
  • Cardiovascular system disorders, including any acquired or congenital disorder that impairs the functioning of the heart or circulatory system
  • Digestive disorders that severely impair the gastrointestinal tract, pancreas, or liver, including chronic liver disease, intestinal failure, and inflammatory bowel disease
  • Genitourinary disorders that cause chronic kidney disease
  • Hematological disorders, including both malignant and non-malignant blood disorders, such as HIV, hemolytic anemia, and bone marrow failure
  • Skin disorders, which can include congenital, hereditary, and acquired disorders, such as burns or chronic skin lesions
  • Endocrine disorders that result in a severe hormonal imbalance
  • Congenital disorders that affect more than one body system, such as Down syndrome
  • Neurological disorders, such as ALS, epilepsy, Parkinson’s, persistent vegetative state, or Huntington’s disease
  • Mental disorders that fall under the following categories of neurocognitive disorders: psychotic, depressive, intellectual, somatic system, personality, autism, neurodevelopmental, eating disorders, and trauma-related disorders
  • Cancer
  • Immune system disorders

There can be a wide range of qualifying conditions for each individual category. Even if your condition is not specifically listed, it could still qualify as a medically determinable impairment depending on its severity and the types of work-related and functional limitations it causes. Our knowledgeable attorneys can give you a full understanding of your medical condition.

How Can You Prove That Your Condition Qualifies for SSDI?

It is not enough to tell the SSA that you have a medical impairment that prevents you from working. You need to prove the severity and impact of your impairment with objective medical evidence from acceptable sources. Evidence may include results of laboratory and other tests, such as blood tests, electrocardiograms, X-rays, ultrasounds, and psychological tests. You must also prove that you have had examinations and sought treatment from your Ohio Bureau of Workers’ Compensation (BWC) physician.

The doctor’s opinion and medical test results must establish that you have functional limitations that prevent you from working. Our experienced Findlay legal team can help you gather the appropriate evidence to prove that your disability is medically determinable under the SSA guidelines.

Contact a Findlay Attorney About Medically Determinable Impairments

If you have a medical condition that prevents you from working, you could benefit greatly from regular SSDI payments. Unfortunately, the SSA will not simply accept your opinion about your impairment.

We can help you follow the SSA guidelines to establish that you have a medically determinable impairment in Findlay. Contact our local attorneys at Schaffer & Associates today, and let us guide you through the process of proving your disability and getting the benefits you are entitled to.