Disability benefits may be available to you if you deal with daily chronic pain that prevents you from working.
If you experience chronic pain regularly, it could be because of another condition, like arthritis, fibromyalgia, cancer, or digestive disorders, and getting medical treatment might lead to a diagnosis qualifying you for Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI). Suppose doctors cannot determine the cause of your chronic pain, which sometimes happens. In that case, you may still get SSDI, provided we can submit sufficient medical evidence confirming your daily discomfort and how it prevents you from earning a sufficient income. Such evidence might include hospital records, test results, and statements from treating physicians or specialists. In addition to proving your eligibility because of the severity of your chronic pain, we must show that you have enough work credits to get and live off of SSDI.
Call our Arkansas disability lawyers for a free case assessment at (479) 316-0438.
Can You Get Disability if You Have Chronic Pain in Arkansas?
The Social Security Administration partly determines disability eligibility based on an applicant’s medical condition. Chronic pain is typically due to an underlying condition, so seeing the appropriate physicians to determine the cause of your pain is often necessary to get approved for SSDI.
Arthritis is a common cause of chronic pain and discomfort and is a qualifying condition for SSDI per the SSA’s listing of impairments. Progressed arthritis could cause stiffness and pain in joints, preventing those affected from continuing to work. Arthritis might cause random and intense flare-ups that last longer and longer as the condition progresses. SSDI also covers other musculoskeletal disorders that often cause chronic pain, like fibromyalgia. Some digestive disorders, like inflammatory bowel disease and chronic liver disease, could cause consistent abdominal or lower back pain, also qualifying workers for disability.
If your chronic pain is a symptom of a larger medical issue, like cancer, we would compare your official diagnosis with the SSA’s listing of impairments to determine your eligibility. Unfortunately, the source of chronic pain is not always medically identifiable, making it challenging for those suffering to get SSDI payments.
That said, not having a listing-level impairment associated with your chronic pain will not automatically disqualify you from benefits, especially if you cannot work due to your constant discomfort. However, applicants in these situations may have to provide more in-depth medical records, and their claims could take longer to get approved.
Chronic pain might cause individuals to develop other conditions, such as depression or anxiety, and SSDI payments cover mental health disorders if they substantially affect individuals’ lives.
How to Prove You Deserve Disability for Chronic Pain in Arkansas
To prove you deserve SSDI for chronic pain, you must show the SSA that you meet its definition of disability. To get SSDI, you cannot be capable of engaging in substantial gainful activity (SGA) and must have a long-lasting and serious medical condition.
Prove Your Lack of Substantial Gainful Activity
To get SSDI, your chronic pain or condition must prevent you from engaging in substantial gainful activity. Applicants are under the SGA limit if they earn less than $1,550 per month if they are not blind and $2,590 per month if they are blind. Medical records and statements from treating physicians can help convince the SSA that you cannot support yourself because of the chronic pain you experience daily. We can also report your lack of earnings since experiencing chronic pain or receiving another diagnosis to confirm you are under the SGA limit. After being approved for SSDI, you must remain under the SGA limit and report all outside income to the Social Security Administration.
Submit Medical Evidence in Your Application
To meet the SSA’s definition of disability, even in the absence of a listing-level impairment, your condition must be expected to result in death or have lasted or be expected to last for at least 12 consecutive months. Because there is often a root cause of chronic pain, doctors may be able to conduct various tests, like blood, imaging, electromyography, and spinal fluid tests, and submit their results to the SSA. Physicians can also give statements explaining the symptoms associated with chronic pain you may be experiencing on a daily basis, such as aching, numbness, burning, and throbbing, as well as issues sleeping and mood changes.
A lack of medical evidence is a top cause for SSDI claim rejections, particularly when applicants’ conditions do not exactly match those in the SSA’s listing of impairments. If your disability claim for chronic pain was recently rejected, our Arkansas disability lawyers can help you submit a new application with the appropriate medical records and information you might have left out the first time. This might require additional assessments from specialists to confirm the cause of your constant pain or discomfort.
Confirm Your Previous Earning Record
Even if the SSA would approve your SSDI claim based on medical evidence confirming chronic pain and its effect on your ability to earn income, not having a sufficient earning record would lead to a dismissal. During your time in the workforce, your employers must remove taxes for Social Security, which is part of what makes you eligible for SSDI should you need it down the line. Every worker can earn four work credits a year, earning one credit for each $1,730 in wages they bring in. We can help you provide the SSA with the appropriate income and employment information to confirm your number of work credits. Your average indexed monthly earnings will dictate your monthly SSDI payment if your claim for chronic pain is approved, and we can estimate your benefit amount based on your income history.
Call Our Disability Attorneys in Arkansas for Help Today
Call our Arkansas disability lawyers at (479) 316-0438 for a free case review.