Severe impairments and Missouri Social Security Disability

There is quite a bit of confusion about severe impairments and Missouri Social Security Disability cases.  Many people believe that having a condition or injury is all that it takes to win a Missouri Social Security Disability case.  There are some conditions that meet this standard called a compassionate allowance. Compassionate Allowances are a way of quickly identifying diseases and other medical conditions that invariably qualify under the Listing of Impairments based on minimal objective medical information. Compassionate Allowances allow Social Security to target the most obviously disabled individuals for allowances based on objective medical information that we can obtain quickly. Compassionate Allowances is not a separate program from the Social Security Disability Insurance or Supplemental Security Income programs.

Missouri disability lawyer

However most people do not have one of the listed compassionate allowances and have to prove their severe impairments are disabling.  It is important to remember that it is up to the claimant to prove that he or she is disabled.

An example I often hear is “I was in a car wreck 20 years ago”.  If you worked for the last 20 years since the accident it is going to be hard to prove that there is a disabling condition from the accident.  You are going to have to be able to show what has changed.  This is where current medical records are so important in developing a case.  If you have made a complaint about the old injury for 20 years and have not sought treatment you have a very difficult case to prove your disability.  Current medical records outlying your complaints are the evidence you need.

Another example is “I have diabetes”  Diabetes can be a severe impairment, but not always. The more important question is how does the diabetes  limit your ability to do things?  What limitations do you have?   Do you have neuropathy?  How bad is it?  Is it documented with a doctor?  Does it affect your ability to sit and or stand?  Use your hands?

If you are in Springfield Missouri, the Lake of the Ozarks/Osage Beach Missouri area, Southwest Missouri or Northern Arkansas and you want the personal attention that you and your family deserve for your social security disability case please give me a call  at 417-883-5886 today.