We know that Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) is meant for people whose medical condition makes it impossible for them to return to work. But can you get SSDI for multiple medical conditions?
Indeed, you can. If your symptoms do not neatly fit into one category, the Social Security Administration (SSA) will consider the combined effect of your medical conditions on your ability to work. If it is found that your symptoms make it impossible for you to retain employment, then benefits are awarded.
Keep reading below as we discuss in further detail how this process works and the logic behind it.
Can You Get SSDI for Multiple Conditions?
The Social Security Administration’s Blue Book has a list of impairments that qualify individuals for benefits. In each listing, the severity level standards that must be met in order to receive approval are presented.
Despite the Blue Book listing hundreds of medical requirements, many applicants don’t fit the bill. In a situation like this, the SSA will attempt to locate a listing that most closely resembles your medical history and application information.
You are not required to fit any specific listing. The Social Security Administration may instead conclude that your symptoms, taken together, meet the criteria for a specific disability.
The Social Security Administration is looking to see if your collection of symptoms and complications corresponds to a preexisting medical condition.
Approval for benefits is contingent upon a determination that your impairment(s) match the severity requirements of one or more listings or portions of listings.
The Severity of the Condition
First and foremost, it is necessary to define what the Social Security Administration (SSA) considers to be a disability.
To qualify for disability benefits, an individual must have an illness or set of symptoms so severe that it prevents them from engaging in the essential and significant activities required by the vast majority of jobs. Examples of such activities are:
- Movements requiring walking, bending, or lifting.
- Being able to see, hear, or speak.
- Able to take in information and retain it for later use.
- Communicating with customers or employees.
A non-severe medical ailment is one that alters one’s physical or mental qualities slightly but does not significantly hinder one’s ability to work.
There needs to be solid proof of how seriously these health problems (or their combination) are affecting you. For instance:
- Long-term medical care documentation.
- Diagnostic efforts that were made.
- An official medical practitioner’s assessment of the patient’s fitness for gainful employment.
Interactions Between Conditions
A claimant may be considered for Social Security Disability Insurance if they have a combination of non-severe medical illnesses that, when added together, have a negative impact on their ability to work.
Your medical condition will be compared to those listed in the Social Security Administration’s Listing of Impairments.
The body functions as a coordinated network of several systems. Because of this, the effects of a medical condition that brings about chronic pain (like a case of arthritis) and the symptoms of another medical condition that impacts the respiratory system (like a case of asthma) can be coupled to impact the whole body.
These generally non-severe cumulative effects can have a negative impact on a person’s prospects for earning a livelihood, particularly if the costs of medication and professional care are taken into consideration.
Because of this, a person may have a legitimate case for receiving disability assistance. Another way of expressing the same principle is to say that the whole may be bigger than the sum of its parts.
When determining whether or not a claimant’s numerous medical conditions contribute to their impairment, it’s important to take both the claimant’s experience and the passage of time into account.
The underlying medical condition must have lasted for at least 12 months or be expected to do so in order to qualify as a standard claim.
The Social Security Administration will decide whether or not the collection of conditions satisfies the requirement of having existed for a full year.
The Social Security Administration may initially deny a claim if it determines that the applicant’s health is likely to improve within that time frame. Applicants who have their initial disability claims denied can, fortunately, file an appeal.
Do Multiple Disabilities Increase the SSDI Amount?
No matter how many different conditions you have that render you disabled, the amount of payment you receive from social security will remain the same.
The maximum monthly Supplemental Security Income (SSI) payment in 2023 will be $914, while the highest monthly Social Security Disability Insurance payment will be $3,627.
These amounts may change depending on your current employment status and your previous earnings, but having more than one impairment will not increase your eligibility for benefits.
Interactions Between Medical and Physical Impairments
Mental health issues have, over an extended period of time, gained the recognition in society that they need as illnesses that can impact an individual’s ability to operate in society.
When determining a person’s eligibility for disability benefits, the Social Security Administration follows certain standards. One of these guidelines states that mental conditions are taken into consideration when the severity of particular symptoms is increased by the mental illness.
For instance, a patient who suffers from chronic depression that impairs their ability to function on a daily basis will undoubtedly have a more challenging time managing a less severe case of Chronic Fatigue Disorder (CFD).
When brought together, these two conditions can leave a person incapable of performing the duties associated with their previous work.
To give another illustration, a person with hypertension and a history of episodes of panic disorder and generalized anxiety is at increased risk of experiencing blood pressure spikes and other adverse health impacts.
The process of applying for disability benefits can be challenging and calls for meticulous attention to detail. Get in touch with an experienced social security disability attorney as soon as possible to improve your likelihood of winning your case. This will help you steer clear of any snares and assist you in obtaining the support that is rightfully yours.
Conclusion
In conclusion, if you don’t qualify for SSDI benefits based on a single condition, the SSA gives you the option of applying based on the combined effects of multiple conditions. A consultation with a disability attorney will help you better understand the specifics of your case.
