Clients Success Stories:
Disability Benefits for Musculoskeletal Disorders
Plus additional resources on getting disability benefits for Musculoskeletal Disorders
Tanya had multiple back surgeries, rheumatoid arthritis and vision impairment due to her medications. She knew she needed help, so she contacted Balin Law. Read Tanya’s story.
Jim was a hard worker but experienced back and knee pain that worsened over the years leaving him unable to work. Short-term disability was only a temporary solution to his problems. He contacted Balin Law and was awarded disability benefits quickly. Read Jim’s story.
Siobhan was injured on the job as a flight attendant. She wasn’t able to go back to work so she looked at her options. Read Siobhan’s story filing for disability benefits and hiring Balin Law to help her.
Alan suffers from arthritis and an aching back. His wife, Lynn, had a good experience working with Balin Law to get the disability benefits she needed, so he called Balin Law to help him. Read Alan’s story.
Donald suffers from diabetes, depression, sleep apnea and back pain. He wasn’t able to work, which made it difficult to put food on the table. He knew he had to do something so he called Balin Law. Read Donald’s story.
Paula was diagnosed with an abdominal aortic aneurysm along with some other health issues and found she couldn’t work like she once could. Read Paula’s story and how she gained disability benefits.
Amy suffered from arthritis in her hips but couldn’t afford health insurance. Her condition left her unable to work so she called Balin Law for help.
Dana suffers from sciatica, diabetes, high blood pressure, depression, hypothyroidism, thyroid cancer, anemia, arthritis, and degenerative bone disease.
“I had a lot of physical pain and mental health issues due to anxiety and paranoia and had a difficult time speaking for myself. I’d been filing claims for 10 years with appeals with no luck until I hired Balin Law.”
Updated 3/27/2023 Obtaining disability benefits for clients suffering from fibromyalgia can be challenging. Proving such a case can be difficult for some disability attorneys to tackle. The challenge of fighting for clients with fibromyalgia has…
What Social Security lists for Musculoskeletal Disorders
Musculoskeletal Disorders that may qualify for disability benefits are evaluated under Section 1.00 of Social Security’s Listing of Impairments – Adult Listings.
Per Social Security, these conditions are “disorders of the skeletal spine (vertebral column) or of the upper or lower extremities that affect musculoskeletal functioning under these listings.” They note that “skeletal” refers to “structure of the bony skeleton”, and “skeletal spine” refers to “the bony structures, ligaments, and discs making up the spine”. Social Security adds that “Musculoskeletal disorders may be congenital or acquired, and may include deformities, amputations, or other abnormalities. These disorders may involve the bones or major joints; or the tendons, ligaments, muscles, or other soft tissues.”
A few examples of the many impairments evaluated for disability benefits under this section include:
- Arthritis
- Chronic joint pain or stiffness
- Osteoarthritis
- Hip replacements
- Knee replacements
- Back pain
- Spinal fusions
- Back surgery
- Bulging or ruptured disks
- Herniated disk
- Slipped disks
- Spinal osteoarthritis (spondylosis)
- Degenerative disc disease
- Vertebral fracture or dislocation
- Ruptured tendons
- Non-healing or complex fractures of the femur, tibia, pelvis, or one or more of the talocrural bones
Related Disabilities evaluated in other sections include:
Disorder or injury of the skeletal spine that results in damage to, and neurological dysfunction of, the spinal cord and its associated nerves (for example, paraplegia or quadriplegia) under the listings in 11.00.
Inflammatory arthritis (for example, rheumatoid arthritis) under the listings in 14.00.
Curvatures of the skeletal spine that interfere with your ability to breathe under the listings in 3.00, impair myocardial function under the listings in 4.00, or result in social withdrawal or depression under the listings in 12.00.
Non-healing or pathological fractures due to cancer, whether it is a primary site or metastases, under the listings in 13.00.
Leg pain associated with peripheral vascular claudication and foot ulceration associated with peripheral arterial disease under the listings in 4.00.
Burns that do not require continuing surgical management under the listings in 8.00.