Disability Benefits for Arthritis

Receiving Disability Benefits for Arthritis

Many people believe arthritis only affects the elderly. While arthritis in some of its forms is more prevalent in the elderly, there are many types of arthritis, and in some cases, neither the young nor the elderly are spared. Arthritis can make it extremely difficult to work or to complete your day-to-day tasks. Your chances of obtaining disability benefits for your arthritis increase significantly when you have an experienced disability attorney from Carmichael Law Group to assist you.

The Social Security disability attorneys from Carmichael Law Group have compassion for your situation and believe we can help you get the benefits you need and deserve. We know you are unable to work and make a living, yet the Social Security Administration may be denying your application for disability benefits.  We are highly skilled and experienced in every single aspect of Social Security disability. No matter what stage of the process you are at—the initial application or a subsequent appeal following a denial of your application—Carmichael Law Group can help.

At Carmichael Law Group, we understand that while meeting your impairment listing requirements is important, your story is even more important. Your story clearly shows that not only do you meet SSDI’s five-step review process, but it also shows the impact your impairment has on your life and on your ability to work and make a living. When your story is told in a skilled manner, your likelihood of receiving the disability benefits you need and deserve increases significantly.

Social Security does not pay for partial disability or short-term disability—only total disability. SSA determines whether you are disabled by asking the following five questions:

• Are you currently working? If you are working, and you are consistently making more than $1,310 per month, you will probably not be considered disabled.
• Does your disability prevent you from performing basic work-related activities (walking, standing, sitting, remembering)? In short, is your condition considered “severe?”
• Does your disabling medical condition meet or equal the severity of a listing found in the Blue Book list of medical conditions?
• Are you able to do the work you did prior to your disability?
• Can you make an adjustment to do any other type of work?

What is Arthritis?

There are several types of arthritis. Osteoarthritis is the age-related wear and tear of the joints. Osteoarthritis can be exacerbated by a lack of physical exercise and excess weight. Osteoarthritis generally involves joint pain and progressive stiffness and pain that develops slowly, over time. Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune disease that tends to affect the small joints of the hand and the wrists.

Rheumatoid arthritis can lead to many other medical conditions. In rare cases, when a bacterium or virus enters the joint, infectious arthritis can occur. Rheumatoid arthritis involves painful swelling, inflammation, and stiffness—usually in the wrists, legs, arms, or fingers. Rheumatoid arthritis symptoms can progress much more quickly than osteoarthritis symptoms.

Other rare forms of arthritis include fibromyalgia, psoriatic arthritis, and septic arthritis. The term “arthritis” literally means the destruction of joint surfaces. While arthritis can be hereditary, lifestyle and work influence whether an individual will develop arthritis.

As an example, a person who sits for their job and is not physically active outside their job could develop arthritis (inflammation) in the spine. In fact, the food we consume, our environment, and our sedentary lifestyles are all risk factors associated with arthritis. Serious arthritis can prevent you from working or engaging in your normal day-to-day activities.

What Qualifies as a Disability?

Hiring a disability lawyer for arthritis claims takes the stress off of you to prove that you have a qualifying disability. Arthritis alone is not enough to show how the condition impacts your ability to work.