Osteoporosis is a serious and chronic medical condition that can make life extraordinarily difficult in several ways. This disorder makes a person’s bones unusually fragile. One fall could make someone with this condition disabled for life depending on the severity and which area of the body is damaged. Working physically demanding jobs or jobs that involve significant risks can become burdensome for someone who has just been diagnosed with osteoporosis. Disability benefits can help when you are no longer able to work because of a physical impairment. An experienced Philadelphia denied benefits appeal lawyer may be able to help if your application was denied. 

How Osteoporosis Affects Work Performance

Osteoporosis affects all the bones in the body and involves various risk factors like age, family history, medical conditions, and hormones. You may have the onset of osteoporosis if you have begun to experience unexplainable back pain, problems with posture, and decreased height over the past few years. The biggest sign of osteoporosis is suffering a bone fracture from a minor impact that you would not normally expect to cause a broken bone.

If you start noticing these symptoms, meet with your doctor to figure out what is going on. Your doctor can officially diagnose you and will advise you on ways to manage this condition. There are also some medications and other treatments that can help build back some of your bone strength to reduce the chances of bone fractures in the future from minor incidents. 

One can imagine all the ways osteoporosis can create problems with physically demanding jobs or jobs that involve a lot of moving around. All it takes is one wrong step or mistake to cause a serious or potentially life-threatening bone fracture. This is especially true for bone fractures to the spine that can lead to permanent disabilities like paralysis. 

When Osteoporosis Qualifies for Disability Benefits

Disability benefits for osteoporosis may apply under certain circumstances. The Social Security Administration (SSA) is very specific about which people with osteoporosis can receive disability insurance. Your situation must be severe enough to greatly impair your ability to work.

You will not find osteoporosis listed in the SSA Blue Book, but you will find a Musculoskeletal System category. However, your condition may fit under a different category, like an autoimmune disease, depending on the cause. Once you know your category, you will need to obtain medical evidence that demonstrates how osteoporosis prevents you from walking great distances, requires assistive devices, involves movement-related pain, and creates enormous difficulties with daily activities.

You will also want to ask your doctor for copies of the tests that confirm your diagnosis like blood tests, Bone Mineral Density tests, and x-rays. 

Individual Disability Insurance Lawyer in Philadelphia 

Facing a rejection letter from the SSA or not hearing back on the status of your disability benefits application can be a scary experience when you are struggling financially. Feel free to talk to a Philadelphia delayed insurance benefits lawyer if this fits your current situation. Contact Edelstein & Nelson at 1-800-300-0909 for a consultation today. An experienced disability lawyer can help you figure out what your application may be missing.