What if my condition isn’t in the blue book?

Most people love the feeling of earning their paycheck. You spend hours in the office or on the job each week to make your money and support yourself and loved ones. But hard work goes away swiftly after a severe accident.

A car accident may make work a challenge – making those paychecks smaller and smaller each week. You still need to support your family, but you’re not sure if you qualify for disability benefits. Luckily, there might be a resource to help you.

The significance of the Social Security Blue Book

The Administration’s list of disabling impairments that qualify for disability benefits. The book also states the criteria that allow you to file for long-term disability benefits. It’s an incredibly useful tool for both medical professionals evaluating disabilities and employees to know if their condition qualifies for benefits.

However, it also feels like a limitation for some employees because the list does not include every possible condition. It’s only a starting point for most people to know if they have a potential claim and what should be their next step.

The missing condition

There is a fear for most people that if their condition is not listed in the Blue Book, there is no way they will receive the benefits they need. But that’s not always the case.

The Blue Book acts as a guide, not the law. Your condition may still qualify for disability benefits despite its absence from the book’s listings. For example, a doctor could use the Blue Book to see if a specific condition meets the severity of a listed condition, such as migraines.

There is also the possibility that you have multiple diseases that cumulate into a significant disability. Imagine you have diabetes, obesity and arthritis. Each condition alone wouldn’t qualify, but all three impairments together might classify as a disability.

It makes it critical to consult a physician or medical professional before filing for long-term disability benefits. Also, consult a disability advocate to ensure you understand all the criteria before claiming any payments due to disabilities.

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