Amputations are more common in the United States than ever before. According to the Amputee Coalition, around 2 million Americans are now limbless.
At least half of those Americans had one or more limbs amputated as a result of a vascular condition such as diabetes or arterial disease, while the other half received trauma in the afflicted area.
Fortunately, a variety of prosthetics and medications have made limb loss a far less serious condition than it was previously. However, many amputees are unable to use prosthetics or have significant difficulty living their daily lives in a world that is often insensitive to their needs.
Amputees may be eligible for Social Security disability benefits. You may be eligible for Social Security Administration disability compensation if your amputation prohibits you from working or living alone. To be eligible for disability payments for your amputation, you must fulfil the SSA's Blue Book listing.
Qualifying for Disability for Amputees
Amputees in all states are eligible for Social Security Disability benefits since it is a federal programme. If you do not meet the criteria for an amputee listing, you may be qualified for disability compensation based on another medical problem, such as diabetes, artery disease, or another vascular ailment that caused the amputation.
You may be eligible for disability compensation if your amputation prohibits you from working and you have accompanying medical documentation and other paperwork.
The Social Security Administration (SSA) considers all of your medical issues and disabilities when making a decision on your case, so you will need medical evidence such as test results, examination notes, and a residual functional capacity (RFC) completed by your physician to detail what you can and cannot do.
Records describing why you required the leg amputated, facts about contributing conditions such as diabetes, and how your underlying medical concerns affect other limbs or organs, for example.
Other witnesses' testimony, such as coworkers, caregivers, acquaintances, and anybody else who is familiar with your illness, may also be beneficial to your claim. The more documentation you can gather, the stronger your claim will be.
How Qualifying Through SSA Blue Book Helps Your Case
Social Security disability benefits are available to Americans who are "totally and permanently handicapped." This category covers any contender who:
- -has a serious medical condition that prohibits them from completing typical everyday duties like working, bathing, clothing, cooking, or cleaning and
- -is predicted to endure more than a year or result in death
Because amputations are permanent, applicants seldom have to be concerned about the duration of their impairment. The severity of the condition, however, typically determines whether or not an amputee is qualified for assistance.
The easiest approach to determine your eligibility is to compare your illness to the list of qualifying conditions in the Social Security Blue Book. Amputations are listed in Section 1.05 of this book, and amputees can qualify if they have either of the following:
- -Both hands were severed;
- -Amputation of one or both lower limbs at or above the ankle, with stump problems that preclude the use of prostheses (which are not expected to heal in less than 12 months);
- -With the inability to walk or move efficiently on one hand and one lower limb at or above the ankle;
- -Hip disarticulation or hemipelvectomy;
It is rather easy to anticipate whether or not you will qualify in entries 1 and 4. However, determining whether your walking ability or stump will help you qualify for assistance under entries 2 and 3 may be challenging.
Regardless of your condition, it is best to check with your doctor to see if you are eligible. They can also help you get additional tests to confirm your diagnosis.