The following article is based on the transcript from this YouTube video on Disability Benefits for Sjogren’s Syndrome (above):
Hi, my name is Matthew Shupe and I am a disability attorney at Balin Law. I’m here today to discuss a medical condition that I’ve become extraordinarily familiar with during my time as an attorney, and that is Sjogren’s Syndrome.
Sjogren’s Syndrome is an autoimmune disease where your immune system mistakenly attacks the moisture producing glands around your eyes and mouth. That can result in a wide array of different symptoms that people live with, so everyone’s case of Sjogren’s is a little different. Those symptoms include:
- Dry burning eyes
- Blurred vision
- Dry mouth
- Sores in mouth
- Dry cough
- Chronic pain – generalized throughout the body, but often worse in joints and muscles
- Stomach issues
- Difficulty swallowing
- Acid reflux
- Numbness, tingling and weakness in fingers and toes
- Difficulty concentrating, brain fog, memory problems
- Chronic fatigue
Does Social Security recognize Sjogren’s Syndrome as a disability?
Yes. Social Security recognizes Sjogren’s Syndrome as a cause of disability, and they even have a specific regulation in the law where they spell out, “hey, this is how you could be found disabled if you have Sjogren’s.” That regulation is SSA’s Listing of Impairments, under Immune System Disorders, in Listing 14.10.
Listing 14.10 says that your Sjogren’s is disabling if it affects two or more of your organs and body systems, for example, your eyes and your joints, and the loss of functioning in one of those systems is at least moderately impacted. You also have to exhibit at least two of the constitutional symptoms or signs of active autoimmune disease, and those symptoms are severe fatigue, fever, malaise, which just means you have flu-like symptoms or involuntary weight loss.
Listing 14.10 also explains that your Sjogren’s is disabling if you can establish that it causes a marked limitation in your ability to perform daily activities, maintain social functioning or complete tasks in a timely manner due to deficiencies in your concentration, persistence, or pace. A “marked limitation” means that your Sjogren’s seriously interferes with your ability to function. Other ways to be found disabled due to Sjogren’s is that you may miss work due to your symptoms or treatment too often, or at work you may need additional breaks to manage your symptoms.
So if you have Sjogren’s syndrome and it’s been interfering with your ability to work a 40-hour work week, feel free to give us a call at Balin Law, we’d be happy to help you out. If you’re looking to apply or if you’ve already been denied and are looking for someone to help you fight that denial, call us for a free consultation. There’s no fee unless we win your case, so no money due upfront.
We help out folks all across the country. So although we’re based in Ohio, if you’re out of state, don’t worry, we represent people in all 50 states at this point. Thank you so much for watching today, and you stay well.