Overview of the Social Security Administration’s Listing of Impairments

The Social Security Administration (SSA) takes many factors into consideration when reviewing your application for Social Security disability benefits. The first and most important requirement to fulfill with your application is to describe a disabling condition that falls within the SSA's listing of impairments.

When filing your application for Social Security disability benefits, it's important that you have substantial evidence to allow the identification and classification of your disability. A Jacksonville disability attorney can help you produce the necessary evidence of your medical conditions and file your application.

Listing of Impairments for Adult Social Security Disability Benefits

The SSA has different evaluation standards for measuring impairments for adults versus children. The full listing of impairments for adults contains 14 separate categories of the various body systems a disability may affect.

The 14 categories of body systems that may be affected by disability, as specified by the SSA, include:

• the musculoskeletal system;
• special senses and speech;
• the respiratory system;
• the cardiovascular system;
• the digestive system;
• genitourinary impairments;
• hematological disorders;
• skin disorders;
• the endocrine system;
• impairments that affect multiple body systems;
• neurological impairments;
• mental disorders;
• malignant neoplastic diseases; and
• immune system disorders.

Each category is broken down into individual afflictions that are considered disabling to an adult.

Listing of Impairments for Child Social Security Disability Benefits

The impairments listed for children younger than 18 years are the same as for adults with the addition of "growth impairment" as the first category for a total of 15. The detailed listings for each category take into consideration the effects of these disabling conditions on a child during the growth and development stages. Many impairments will affect a child differently than they would an adult, due to their rapid growth and change.

Listing of Impairments in Social Security Disability Benefits Claims

When you seek to file a Social Security disability benefits claim, your Jacksonville disability attorney will help you review your medical conditions for inclusion in your application. Your attorney can review your medical records and ensure you have provided adequate proof of your impairment, so it can be classified as a disabling affliction.

You must show proof of a medically determinable impairment to be eligible for review for Social Security disability benefits. This means a medical professional must have been consulted on your impairment and be able to provide clinical or laboratory test results to establish your claim.

Without proper documentation and classification of your impairments, your Social Security disability benefits claim will likely be delayed or denied altogether. If this has happened to you, an experienced Jacksonville disability attorney can help you identify the mistakes in your application and work to gather the necessary evidence to build a convincing appeal.

Contacting a Jacksonville Disability Benefits Attorney

The Social Security attorneys at Sullivan & Hepler understand that you have questions regarding your Jacksonville Social Security disability claim. We have your answers. Before you hire an attorney or apply for disability, order this free consumer guide Cutting Through the Red Tape: Top Ten Things Florida Social Security Disability Applicants Should Know for more information about how to build a strong claim. Contact us today at 904-384-8808 or 1-800-295-4193