Assuming you have paid sufficient quarters to qualify for Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI), eligibility for disability benefits for hyperparathyroidism requires evaluation under SSA criteria to determine if your illness is so severe that you are unable to work.
Hyperparathyroidism causes calcium to build up and move around in your body. When this happens, it damages organs, tissues, and other parts of the body. People suffering from this issue may experience stomach pain, joint and bone pain, nausea and vomiting, forgetfulness, depression, kidney stones, and just plain feeling sick. On top of all of these issues, their bones can become more fragile so they break easier.
Engaging in regular life activities with this condition isn’t always easy, and having to go into a job and make a living is even more difficult. That’s likely why the Social Security Administration decided to allow Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) benefits to those people who suffer from hyperparathyroidism – as long as they can qualify, of course.
So how exactly do you qualify medically? The SSA has helpfully created two ways:
- Match the listing in the Listings of Impairments. What’s the Listings of Impairments? It’s a kind of guidebook for Social Security Disability benefits applicants where every single disability that the SSA recognizes is defined and given a list of requirements that you need to meet to qualify for benefits.
- Prove equivalency. Not everyone can match the sometimes very specific and detailed criteria in the Listings of Impairments, but this doesn’t mean that their condition isn’t severe. If you believe that your condition is serious enough to warrant benefits, but can’t quite match the requirements of a listing, you can still win your claim by proving that your medical issue is the equivalent of something recognized in the Listings.
Of the two methods, the first one is by far the most straightforward. Because of this, you should always attempt to win your claim by matching a listing first.
For a free legal consultation, call 800-562-9830
Disability Benefits for Hyperparathyroidism – Satisfying SSA Criteria
In order to receive disability benefits for hyperparathyroidism, the SSA will evaluate the following things:
- How disease affects calcium levels in bone, blood, nerves, muscle, and other body tissues.
- They will evaluate parathyroid-related osteoporosis and fractures under 1.00.
- They will review abnormally elevated calcium levels in the blood (hypercalcemia) that lead to cataracts.
- They will look at kidney failure
- And they will check recurrent abnormally low blood calcium levels (hypocalcemia) that lead to increased excitability of nerves and muscles, such as tetany and muscle spasms.
As you might imagine, one of the best ways to prove that you match these listing requirements is to take accepted medical tests and get the appropriate results. There’s really only one test that the SSA recommends for hyperparathyroidism:
- Parathyroid hormone (PTH)
If you test positively, it can go a long way toward helping your case.
Don’t Forget: Equivalency Can Qualify You for Disability Benefits for Hyperparathyroidism
Remember, there is a secondary qualification method if you can’t match a listing exactly. To prove equivalency, you’ll have to go through the Five Step Sequential Evaluation Process.
As mentioned above, this is something that isn’t simple. You’ll need the guiding influence of an experienced disability attorney by your side – preferably someone who has a track record of success in these types of cases.
Together, your goal will be to find a way to prove to the SSA that your disability prevented you from working for at least 12 calendar months. If you are able to accomplish this, you will qualify for Social Security disability benefits for your hyperparathyroidism.
Learn even more about the claims process by reading our Social Security Disability eBook for free.
Need assistance? We can help you from the initial application through all steps of the SSD appeals process to obtain disability benefits for hyperparathyroidism and other endocrine disorders. If you need help today, call us at 800-562-9830 for a free case evaluation.
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