Conditions we handle
Conditions and How Social Security Evaluates Them
Social Security does not approve a diagnosis. It evaluates what a condition stops you from doing, measured against a Blue Book listing or, when no listing fits, against your residual functional capacity. Each page below explains that evaluation for one condition.
We represent adults with SSDI and SSI claims for physical and mental conditions alike. The pages below are grouped by body system. Each one names the listing, puts its criteria in plain language, and describes the records that usually decide the claim.
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conditions
Mental Health Disability Claims
- 12.06Anxiety disordersSSA evaluates anxiety, panic disorder, agoraphobia and OCD under listing 12.06, using three separate symptom tests before rating mental functioning.
- 12.10AutismAdult autism is evaluated under listing 12.10, which requires documented communication and social deficits, restricted repetitive patterns, and serious functional limits.
- 12.04Bipolar disorderSSA checks bipolar disorder under listing 12.04 for three of seven manic-type symptoms, then weighs functioning across cycles rather than single visits.
- 12.04DepressionSSA rates depressive disorder under listing 12.04 by confirming five of nine symptoms, then measuring four areas of mental functioning.
- 12.05Intellectual disabilitySSA evaluates intellectual disability under listing 12.05, which weighs intellectual functioning, current adaptive deficits, and evidence the disorder began before age 22.
- 12.08Personality disordersSSA evaluates personality and impulse-control disorders under listing 12.08, requiring a documented pervasive pattern plus serious limits in mental functioning.
- 12.15PTSDSSA evaluates PTSD under listing 12.15, requiring documentation of five trauma elements before rating mental functioning or a two-year treated history.
- 12.03SchizophreniaSSA evaluates schizophrenia under listing 12.03, pairing documented psychotic symptoms with either severe functional limits or a two-year serious and persistent history.
conditions
Spine, Joint and Pain Disability Claims
- 1.20AmputationListing 1.20 sorts amputations by limb and level, then asks whether a prosthesis can be used and whether an assistive device is medically needed.
- 1.18 and 14.09ArthritisJoint damage is measured under listing 1.18, while rheumatoid and other inflammatory arthritis is measured under 14.09 and its constitutional symptom rules.
- 1.15 and 1.16Back InjuriesSSA reviews spine claims under listings 1.15 and 1.16, pairing imaging and neurological findings with a documented need for a walker or lost arm use.
- No listingComplex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS)SSA establishes CRPS under SSR 03-2p from disproportionate pain plus documented signs such as swelling or skin changes, then compares findings to other listings.
- No listingFibromyalgiaWith no listing of its own, fibromyalgia is established under SSR 12-2p, then compared to listing 14.09D or assessed for remaining work capacity.
conditions
Neurological Disability Claims
- 11.10ALS (Lou Gehrig's disease)SSA evaluates ALS under listing 11.10, which is met by a diagnosis established through clinical and laboratory findings, with fast-track flagging.
- 11.02EpilepsySSA evaluates epilepsy under listing 11.02 by counting seizures by type and frequency over consecutive months of adherence to prescribed treatment.
- No listingMigraine and Headache DisordersWith no listing for migraine, SSA applies SSR 19-4p and compares your headache pattern with epilepsy listing 11.02 for medical equivalence.
- 11.09Multiple sclerosisSSA evaluates multiple sclerosis under listing 11.09 by measuring motor disorganization in two limbs, or marked physical plus mental limits.
- 11.14Peripheral NeuropathySSA evaluates peripheral neuropathy under listing 11.14, measuring motor control in two limbs or marked physical and mental limits together.
- 11.06Parkinson's diseaseSSA evaluates Parkinson's under listing 11.06, Parkinsonian syndrome, looking at limits that remain after three months of prescribed treatment.
- 11.04StrokeSSA evaluates stroke under listing 11.04, generally on evidence from three months after the event: aphasia, motor loss, or combined limits.
- 11.18 (and 12.02)Traumatic Brain InjurySSA evaluates traumatic brain injury under listing 11.18 for physical effects and listing 12.02 when the lasting damage is cognitive.
conditions
Heart and Lung Disability Claims
- 4.05ArrhythmiaSSA evaluates recurrent arrhythmias under listing 4.05, which requires repeated fainting or near fainting episodes tied to the rhythm on ECG or other testing.
- 3.03AsthmaSSA evaluates asthma under listing 3.03, which pairs three qualifying hospital stays in 12 months with a low FEV1 measured in that same window.
- 3.02COPDSSA tests COPD against listing 3.02 using spirometry, DLCO, blood gas or oxygen tables keyed to personal factors or altitude, or three hospital stays.
- 4.04Heart DiseaseSSA measures ischemic heart disease against listing 4.04: stress testing, imaging, angiography with FFR or iFR, or repeat hospitalizations for ischemia.
- 4.02Heart FailureSSA reviews heart failure under listing 4.02: stable-period imaging plus severe limits or repeat hospitalizations, a very low ejection fraction, or an implanted pump.
conditions
Digestive, Kidney and Immune Disability Claims
- 5.06Crohn's Disease and Ulcerative ColitisSSA evaluates Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis under listing 5.06: obstruction hospitalizations, two of five clinical findings, or repeated complications.
- 14.11HIV InfectionListing 14.11 requires lab-confirmed HIV plus one of nine paths, including CD4 thresholds, specific illnesses, hospitalizations, or repeated manifestations.
- 6.03, 6.04, 6.05, 6.09Chronic Kidney DiseaseSSA sorts kidney claims by treatment stage: dialysis under 6.03, transplant under 6.04, lab values under 6.05, and hospitalizations under 6.09.
- 5.05Chronic Liver DiseaseChronic liver disease is measured against listing 5.05: bleeding varices, ascites, hepatic encephalopathy, related syndromes, or two SSA CLD scores of 20.
- 14.02Lupus (SLE)To evaluate lupus, SSA counts organ involvement and constitutional symptoms under listing 14.02, or repeated flares with a marked functional limitation.
conditions
Cancer, Metabolic and Other Disability Claims
- 13.00 (listings 13.02 to 13.29)CancerSSA evaluates cancer under Blue Book 13.00 by origin site, extent, response to treatment and lasting effects of the cancer or its therapy.
- No listingDiabetesSSA has no diabetes listing, so it evaluates the damage diabetes causes to nerves, kidneys, eyes, heart and limbs under those body systems.
- No listingLong COVIDLong COVID cannot meet a listing; SSA evaluates each affected body system, the 12-month duration rule, and stamina and endurance in the RFC.
- No listingObesityObesity has no listing; under SSR 19-2p SSA weighs measured BMI over time and how weight worsens other conditions and daily function.
conditions
Vision and Hearing Disability Claims
- 2.10, 2.11Hearing LossSSA evaluates hearing loss on audiometric scores, using listing 2.10 without a cochlear implant and listing 2.11 once you have one.
- 2.02, 2.03, 2.04Vision Loss and BlindnessSSA measures vision loss against fixed numbers in listings 2.02, 2.03 and 2.04, and separately decides whether you are statutorily blind.
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