Can I Receive Disability for Chronic Pain?
Category: Disability Law
- 08 May 2025
- Posted By WebSiteAdmin
It is estimated that 21% of Americans suffer from chronic pain. That is a huge number when you consider the size of the population in the United States. That is roughly 50 million people who are under the thumb of regular and constant discomfort or sever pain.
Is chronic pain enough to qualify you for Social Security Disability? There is no straight forward answer so let’s explore this in detail.
SSDI (Social Security Disability Insurance) is the plan in place to cover people who are no longer able to work and earn a living. It is part of the overall Social Security system which you pay into from your very first paycheck.
Although there is no listing for chronic pain in the Social Security disability database, there is still a possibility of qualifying. If your chronic pain is debilitating to where you simply cannot work and earn a living, you may qualify for payments. This information can be found under SGA (substantial gainful activity) on the SSA website.
Basically, if you have documentation over a period of time from doctors and your workplace that you have not been able to come in due to severe pain, you definitely have a case on your hands. This documentation includes doctor’s notes, tests, x-rays, and all medical records associated with particular situation. Just like any legal case, you need to build it and show plenty of proof.
Conditions like fibromyalgia, arthritis, and back injuries can result in chronic pain that is simply too severe for the patient to continue working. Getting one of these specific diagnosises helps your case but is not essential.
If you have good documentation, cannot return to work and need help financially then hiring a disability attorney in Melbourne to represent you may be your best bet. An attorney knows how to build your case properly and will show the SSA what they need to see in order to approve payments.
Having everything in order from the start and on your first application gives you a good start. If your claim is denied it could set back the process many months. Even without a denial to worry about, the process can take many months, so you want to have your ducks in a row.
