Will Hypothyroidism Make Me Eligible for Disability Benefits?

Hypothyroidism may not sound like a disability initially, but this condition can create a number of challenges at work. The Social Security Administration (SSA) is mainly concerned with whether the disability in question is impacting the person’s work performance. How your hypothyroidism affects your ability to work will help determine whether you could qualify for disability benefits. Talk to a Philadelphia disability lawyer to learn more.

Complications Caused by Hypothyroidism

Your doctor may have already explained what hypothyroidism is, a decrease in the production of the thyroid hormone which slows down metabolism. Low thyroid levels are what can lead to debilitating symptoms like confusion, anemia, heart failure, and decreased body temperature. Without treatment, this condition can be deadly.

Depending on what stage you are at, you may already experienced some of the symptoms of hypothyroidism. Some of the most common symptoms of hypothyroidism include:

• Fatigue
• Forgetfulness
• Constipation
• Body soreness
• Muscle weakness
• High cholesterol
• Numbness or tingling sensations in hands

Other symptoms may arise or worsen depending on how severe your condition is. The most important thing to do is to follow the treatments from your doctor. Not following treatment guidelines will not only put you at risk but could also decrease your chances of receiving disability benefits. The SSA can reject disability benefits if the person fails to cooperate with treatment.

Avoiding treatment for hypothyroidism can lead to life-threatening symptoms when thyroid levels drop. Other complications could arise like difficulty breathing, goiter, and chronic mental health problems. Treatment for hypothyroidism involves medications.

Are There Disability Benefits for Hypothyroidism?

While there may not be a specific listing for hypothyroidism, you might still qualify for other listings that involve the thyroid. To obtain hypothyroidism disability benefits, you may need to look at the following listings in the SSA Blue Book online:

• Malignant Neoplastic Disease, thyroid cancer
• Central Nervous System Vascular Accidents, strokes
• Mood Disorders
• Cardiovascular Systems
• Digestive Systems, weight loss

See what conditions and symptoms each of these listings describe to see which one you might match most. Doing this will help you determine whether you could qualify for disability benefits under one of those listings. If not, you can try going through a residual functioning capacity evaluation.

All you have to do is have your doctor fill out a residual functioning capacity form. This will detail ways your hypothyroidism impacts your daily functioning. Information from this form will be used to judge how your hypothyroidism is affected your ability to work.

If the SSA judges your condition as severe enough to prevent you from working, then you could become eligible for disability benefits. Do not panic if your initial disability benefits application is rejected. Try contacting a Philadelphia disability lawyer to explore your options.

Disability Attorney in Philadelphia

Applying for disability benefits can be confusing at times. Try asking a Philadelphia individual disability insurance lawyer for help if you have concerns about your disability claim. Start by contacting Edelstein & Nelson today at (800) 300-0909 for a consultation. Our experienced team of Philadelphia disability attorneys can work with you to increase your chances of receiving disability insurance.