What are the New Back Injury Rules for Social Security Disability?
Are you experiencing chronic pain from a back injury? If you suffer from back pain that makes you unable to work and perform related tasks, you might be eligible for Social Security Disability benefits, which are offered through the Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) program.
For you to qualify for Social Security Disability benefits, you must meet the definition of severity that is presented by the Social Security Administration (SSA). The definition includes conditions in the form of a list, with the list being changed each year with new conditions being added, so keeping up to date is important to determine your eligibility.
What are the requirements for back injuries to be covered by SSDI? Read on to learn what factors are considered, and also how a disability attorney can help you determine eligibility and help you collect the benefits and damages you deserve to be made whole from your injury.
The requirements of the Social Security Administration can change each year, underlining the importance of working with an attorney who knows the complex changes that occur from year to year.
Are there prerequisites to collecting social security disability?
It is possible that your back pain condition will be covered by the social security disability insurance program. According to the American Chiropractic Association, some 31 million Americans are experiencing lower back pain at any given time. Those who meet the changing requirements of the Blue Book for 2021 might be capable of collecting from the Social Security Administration based upon their injuries, as long as you qualify.
The program is available to individuals who have worked enough to earn sufficient credits, and who have also paid enough taxes to the Social Security Administration to be considered eligible for benefits. Eligibility depends upon certain criteria being met, with those criteria at times being complex and confusing, highlighting the value of having a security disability attorney to help you.
Back pain conditions that might qualify for SSDI:
- Rheumatoid arthritis
- Herniated discs
- Spinal stenosis
- Degenerative disc disorder
The changed listing involves back pain from nerve impingement, and it requires that you have the following:
- Pain OR paresthesia OR muscle fatigue, PLUS
- Muscle weakness AND signs of nerve compression or irritation
- Decreased sensory abilities OR abnormal sensory nerve latency OR decreased deep tendon reflexes, PLUS
- Physical limitation due to the back impairment that has or will last 12 months.
If you find the above confusing, you are not alone.
What resources are there to help?
Each year the requirements may change, with new conditions being added or subtracted. The Social Security Administration published the most recent “Blue Book” in 2021, in which the listing of disabling conditions that can qualify you for social security disability benefits are provided in full. The complete title of the Blue Book is the “Disability Evaluation Under Social Security,” and it can provide you with essential information to understand whether your back injury might qualify. There are both adult and childhood listings in the Blue Book, as both adults and children could be eligible.
A California attorney can help you with SSDI
The new back injury rules for social security disability are complex and can be difficult to understand and then effectively file. A California personal injury and/or social security disability attorney can help you ensure the accuracy and correctness of your applications and to optimize the benefits and damages that you receive as a result of your injury.
