Can I Get Disability Benefits for Diabetes?
Type 1 and 2 diabetes can both be considered qualifying impairments under Social Security Disability rules.
The problem is that it’s not easy to convince an examiner at the Social Security Administration (SSA) that your diabetes meets the main qualification for benefits: that it is severe enough to prevent you from working.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), around 40 million Americans have diabetes. Many can continue working, so they wouldn’t be approved for disability benefits.
If you cannot work because your diabetes symptoms are debilitating, and you need the financial lifeline that Social Security Disability can provide, you may want some help applying for benefits.
The Phoenix disability lawyers at Slepian Ellexson can support you through this process. We’ll help with your application and do everything we can to increase your chance of winning benefits.
We’ve helped thousands of people and know the special care it takes to prove a disability claim for diabetes.
If you get denied for Social Security Disability—as many people do—we’ll be there to help you appeal that decision.
We’ve been helping Arizonans for more than 40 years. We can give your diabetes disability application the personal attention it deserves.
When Diabetes Qualifies for Disability Benefits
On its own, Social Security doesn’t think of diabetes as a disability. Just having the diagnosis isn’t enough to get approved for benefits.
To qualify for disability benefits with diabetes, you have to show Social Security that you are unable to work because of your medical condition.
Social Security wants to see that:
- Your diabetes prevents you from working and supporting yourself
- You cannot switch to another job or adjust to a different kind of work
- Your health issues will continue to affect you for a year or more
These benefits aren’t for people who just need some time off. Social Security Disability is meant for those who are going to be out of the workforce for a long time because of their health.
Evaluating your “residual functional capacity,” or RFC, is the primary way Social Security will determine your ability to work with your particular diabetes symptoms.
An examiner will focus on things like:
- How much you can lift and carry
- Whether your diabetes affects your ability to sit or stand for extended periods
- If you can walk, reach, crouch, or perform other motions that a job would require of you
- If you need frequent breaks or rest
- If you can focus and follow instructions
- How well you can work with others
Proving to Social Security that your diabetes is bad enough to prevent you from working can be tough. Your case must be severely limiting even with treatment and management.
Our Arizona disability attorneys can tell you more about what Social Security looks for and what goes into a successful claim.
You don’t have to do this on your own.
Reach out to our disability attorneys to see how we can assist you at any stage of this process.
How Can I Strengthen My Diabetes Disability Claim?
If you want to successfully apply for Social Security Disability benefits for diabetes, you need to vividly describe your symptoms to your doctors and how they affect your daily life.
Claims examiners won’t just take your word for it. You’ll need evidence like medical records, treatment records, testimony from health care professionals, and statements from loved ones, employers, and coworkers who have seen how your diabetes has affected you.
Of course, diabetes is a serious disease, and many of its side effects can disrupt your ability to work and earn a living.
These symptoms can also lead to other medical conditions, or make other health struggles even worse.
If possible, you should also provide evidence that you suffer from any related conditions, such as:
- Kidney disease
- Hypertension, arrhythmia, or other cardiovascular diseases
- Mental health disorders like anxiety or depression
- Vision loss from retinopathy
- Digestive issues like gastroparesis or irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)
It’s better when you don’t have to try to get approved for Social Security Disability on your own. Our Phoenix disability lawyers know this process, and they will do everything they can to help you win your claim.
Schedule your free consultation today.
How Our Phoenix Disability Attorneys Help with Your Diabetes Disability Claim
The application process for Social Security Disability benefits is daunting. Doing all that paperwork is stressful. Medical conditions with uncertainty about whether you qualify, like diabetes, make it even harder.
We suggest that applicants across Arizona—Chandler, Tucson, Mesa, Scottsdale, and any part of Arizona—work with our experienced disability attorneys.
These benefits could pave the way for a more stable and peaceful life. You don’t want to leave this application to chance.
Best of all, you don’t have to pay an attorney’s fee until you win.
At Slepian Ellexson, you’ll get to work with a lawyer, not just support staff, right away, and we’ll help you:
- Determine if you qualify for benefits
- Fill out application forms
- Avoid common errors that could delay or endanger your benefits
- Stay aware of important deadlines
- Gather evidence to back up your claim
- Appeal if your initial claim is denied
- Prepare for your disability hearing in front of an administrative law judge
You can’t trust your disability claim to just anyone.
Our local disability lawyers in Phoenix have over 50 years of combined legal experience. We’ll make sure you are treated with dignity and respect.
