With so many people in our country classified as obese or overweight, it’s not uncommon for questions to arise about how obesity can affect a claim for disability benefits. Since obesity is a medical condition recognized by Social Security, can you argue that you’re disabled if you’re obese? How does it impact a claim based on a separate condition where the individual also happens to suffer from obesity?
Is Obesity a Disability?
While the SSA still recognizes obesity and includes a definition of the disease, it was removed as an actual impairment in 1999. This means that, though it’s not impossible for someone to get benefits solely due to their obesity, it’s incredibly rare. In order to qualify for benefits, an obese person has to show that their weight is impacting them just as negatively as one of the currently listed impairments. For example, someone who is so obese that they can’t walk could qualify because their issue “medically equals” listing 1.03, where someone is unable to walk for a year because they had to have reconstructive surgery on a weight-bearing joint.
But while obesity by itself likely won’t aid you in getting Social Security, it can end up pushing another impairment to qualify by making that issue worse. This is especially true with musculoskeletal problems.
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Musculoskeletal Issues Compounded by Obesity
It makes complete sense when you think about it. Musculoskeletal issues have to do with how our joints, bones, and muscles hold up under duress and pressure. Excessive weight means more duress and more pressure, so any problems caused by a musculoskeletal impairment will be worse for people who are also obese.
This is important to note because while someone may not qualify for benefits based on the issues they suffer from obesity or a musculoskeletal disorder by itself, the combined effects of both of these impairments can lift them up to the level where they qualify.
Adjudicators are required to consider any cumulative or additional issues that may be present as a result of a person’s obesity, but this doesn’t always happen when the sole impairment listed is a single musculoskeletal disorder. Social Security disability attorneys understand that they can often help their clients’ cases by listing a combination of impairments rather than simply trying to get benefits based on a single issue. Learn more about the claims process by reading our Social Security Disability eBook for free!
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