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Social Security Disability For Diabetes

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Diabetes is a chronic condition that affects millions of Americans, impacting how the body processes blood sugar.

While many individuals with diabetes successfully manage their condition, others face severe complications that can significantly hinder their ability to work.

If you’re struggling with diabetes, you may be wondering about your options for disability benefits. This guide will explore the relationship between diabetes and Social Security Disability, providing valuable information for those seeking support.

Diabetes, health and elderly woman doing a blood sugar test on her finger with a glucometer. Sickness, healthcare and diabetic senior lady checking her glucose level sitting on a sofa at home.

Understanding Diabetes and Its Impact

Is diabetes a disability? It can be, however, the answer isn’t straightforward.

Diabetes is not always classified as a disability. Its complications and severe manifestations can be. Let’s delve deeper into the nature of diabetes and its potential effects on your ability to work.

Types of Diabetes

There are primarily two types of diabetes:

  1. Type 1 Diabetes: An autoimmune condition where the body doesn’t produce insulin.
  2. Type 2 Diabetes: The most common form, where the body becomes resistant to insulin or doesn’t produce enough.

Both types can lead to serious complications if not properly managed.

Common Symptoms and Complications of Diabetes

These can include:

  • Frequent urination
  • Increased thirst
  • Unexplained weight loss
  • Extreme hunger
  • Fatigue
  • Blurred vision
  • Slow-healing sores
  • Numbness or tingling in hands or feet
  • Dry skin
  • Heart problems
  • Kidney disease
  • Nerve Damage
  • Eye damage
  • Increased risk of infections

Even one of these complications or symptoms can significantly impact a person’s ability to perform work-related tasks.

Managing Diabetes: Lifestyle and Medical Approaches

Effectively controlling diabetes often requires a combination of lifestyle changes and medical interventions. Here’s an overview of common management strategies:

Lifestyle Changes That Can Sometimes Help

  1. Diet: Adopting a balanced diet rich in vegetables, fruits, lean proteins, and whole grains.
  2. Regular Exercise: Engaging in physical activity to help regulate blood sugar levels.
  3. Weight Management: Maintaining a healthy weight to reduce the risk of complications.
  4. Stress Reduction: Implementing stress-management techniques, as stress can affect blood sugar levels.

 

Medical Treatments

  1. Medication
    1. Using oral medications or insulin therapy to manage blood sugar levels.
  2. Regular Monitoring
    1. Checking blood sugar levels frequently to track glucose and adjust treatment as needed.
  3. Routine Check-ups
    1. Visiting healthcare providers regularly to monitor overall health and prevent complications.

Diabetes and Its Impact on Work

For many individuals, diabetes can be managed well enough to maintain a normal work life. Sometimes, the complications and symptoms can make it challenging or impossible to work consistently.

If you’re finding it difficult to work or are unable to work due to diabetes, you’re not alone. For people with diabetes that is more difficult to control, several factors can affect their ability to work. This can include:

  1. Extreme fatigue, persistent neuropathy, or vision problems can significantly impair job performance.
  2. Kidney disease, heart problems, or frequent infections can result in needing substantial time off work. These conditions that can develop as a result of diabetes can also make it difficult to work.
  3. Physical labor, irregular hours, and lack of easy access to food and medication can make it difficult to work.
  4. The need for frequently checking blood glucose levels, insulin injections, or medical appointments can interfere with work schedules.

Can You Receive Disability for Diabetes?

The short answer is yes, individuals with diabetes can receive disability benefits. However, it’s important to understand the criteria and process involved.

Supplemental Security Income (SSI) Diabetes

Supplemental Security Income (SSI) is a federal program that provides financial assistance to individuals with limited income and resources. These include those who are disabled, blind, or aged 65 or older. Diabetes and SSI can intersect when the condition severely impacts a person’s ability to work and earn income.

To qualify for SSI diabetes benefits, you must meet both the medical and financial criteria set by the SSA. This means demonstrating that your diabetes leads to severe complications that prevent you from engaging in substantial gainful activity. You must also meet the program’s income and resource limits.

Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) for Diabetes

In addition to SSI, individuals with diabetes may also qualify for Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI). Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) eligibility is determined by your employment background and your paid taxes. To be eligible for SSDI, you must have worked under Social Security. Your diabetes must also meet the SSA’s definition of a disability.

Qualifying for Disability Benefits with Diabetes

To get disability benefits, you need to show that your condition causes one or more of these problems:

  1. Diabetic Nerve Issues
    1. Nerve damage causes pain, numbness, or weakness, often in the hands and feet.
  2. Diabetic Eye Problems
    1. Damage to the blood vessels in the retina leads to vision problems or blindness.
  3. Kidney Disease
    1. Diabetic nephropathy progresses to chronic kidney disease or kidney failure.
  4. Heart & Circulation Issues: Increased risk of heart disease and stroke.
  5. Skin Conditions
    1. Frequent skin infections or disorders that are slow to heal.
  6. Amputations
    1. Severe cases of neuropathy or infections leading to the amputation of limbs.
  7. Stomach and Intestinal Issues
    1. Cyclical vomiting, stomach ulcers, and abdominal pain are just a few of the many problems that can occur.

It’s important to note that having diabetes alone is not enough to qualify for disability benefits. The SSA evaluates the severity of your condition and its impact on your ability to perform work-related activities.

The Application Process: What You Need to Know

Applying for disability benefits due to diabetes requires thorough documentation and patience. You’ll need to provide comprehensive evidence of your condition and its impact on your ability to work. This includes:

  1. Detailed documentation from your healthcare providers, including diagnosis, treatment history, and prognosis.
  2. Blood tests showing elevated glucose levels and other relevant lab results
  3. A detailed statement from your treating physician explaining how diabetes affects your ability to work
  4. Records of symptoms and complications, including how they limit your daily activities
  5. Evidence that you have followed prescribed treatments and lifestyle changes
  6. Employment records, including records of accommodations
  7. Functional Reports

To avoid delays, it’s crucial to submit complete and thorough documentation from the start. Working with a knowledgeable disability attorney can help ensure your application is as comprehensive as possible.

The Law Office of Gerard Lynch: Your Advocate for Disability Benefits

If diabetes has made it hard for you to work, you might qualify for disability benefits from SSI or SSDI. At The Law Office of Gerard Lynch, we are committed to helping you navigate the complex application process.

Don’t let the complexities of the disability application process deter you from seeking the support you need. Contact The Law Office of Gerard Lynch today to schedule your free consultation. Let us help you take the first step toward securing the disability benefits you deserve.

Client Testimonials

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This case was my first time hiring a lawyer but I am glad that the attorney I chose worked diligently with me to help me get the results I was looking for. I am confident in letting the law offices of Gerard Lynch handle my business when needed, and I will be contacting this office when or is there is another matter that I need handled. I, Alexander Foster, am very satisfied with the outcome of my case. The Law Office of Gerard Lynch and I worked together and we achieved the goal that we were striving for. I am so thankful.

Alexander Foster,
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The best and foremost compliment I can give this firm is the fact that I didn't have to come in to the office and overall my case was handled very expeditiously. Thanks for a job well done on my behalf.

Kathy Brown,
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We need more lawyers like Mr. Lynch with an understanding heart and mind. May God bless you and your staff. I enjoyed working with Mr. Lynch and thank you so very much.

M. Robertson,

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I have to be disabled permanently to receive Social Security Disability (SSD)?

A claimant needs to be disabled for at least 12 months or have a medical condition that is terminal or expected to lead to death. Sometimes a claimant is not disabled permanently. In a certain time frame, when they are disabled from working, they could qualify for disability benefits.

It is possible, but rare to receive benefits without any medical evidence to back up your claim. If you do not have recent medical records, it is much harder to win a case. There is a possibility, though not common, that your case might be approved simply by going to a consultative exam by the SSA, where a doctor gives you a physical or mental examination.

One benefit of working with our office is that we will look carefully at your case. If you do not have enough current medical evidence for your claim, we can often give you information about low-income or indigent health services that can help establish a medical record for a low cost or free.

No fees, unless we win your claim! Our law firm, the Law Office of Gerard Lynch, only charges our clients if we win their SSD or Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits. We charge on a contingency basis, 25% of the back pay awarded to a claimant when we win the case. As of Summer 2024, our fee is capped at $7,200. The fee cap is set by the Social Security Administration (SSA) for all representatives, and is periodically adjusted for inflation just like monthly SSD and SSI benefits. Social Security pays us directly so our claimants don’t have to write a check. If we do not win a case, we do not charge anything no matter how much work we have done. Once a client wins and their monthly checks begin, they will keep 100% of their checks.

Social Security Disability (SSD) comes from FICA taxes that are deducted from paychecks during the work history of a person. Every month that a person works and reports income to the government, taxes are deducted which are paid into social security. When FICA taxes are taken out of paychecks, most of it goes into the general Social Security retirement fund. However, a smaller portion goes into the general Social Security disability fund.

Contrary to popular belief, no one has an account set up with the SSA by default, even though all Americans are required to pay taxes into social security. People who become disabled over their lifetime and are not yet eligible to get their full-age retirement benefits can get benefits from the disability fund. They’ll need to apply for these benefits and get approved to receive them.

Supplemental Security Income (SSI) is a different program for disabled people and it is like a form of welfare. More specifically, it is for people who are either too young to have paid enough into the system or have not worked recently enough to receive Social Security Disability (SSD). To receive Supplemental Security Income (SSI), a claimant has to be equally disabled as a person who receives Social Security Disability (SSD) – the standard for determining disability is the same. One of the main differences in deciding which claimant receives Social Security Disability (SSD) or Supplemental Security Income (SSI) comes from the amount of money paid into the Social Security system over one’s lifetime.

It should also be noted that SSI carries much stricter income and resource qualifications for someone to get approved and maintain these benefits.

If you have any additional questions that we did not answer above, please get in touch with our team at The Law Office of Gerard Lynch. Unlike the larger Social Security disability lawyers of Houston, our office will make sure you’re treated as more than just a claim. Let our attorney review your disability claim and help you seek the peace you deserve.

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