Obesity is a medically determinable impairment that also causes respiratory impairment. The combined effects of obesity and the respiratory impairment can be greater than the effects of each of the individual impairments considered alone.

Therefore, the Social Security administration is directed under the Listing of Impairments – Section 3.00 I. Effects of Obesity to consider the obesity and respiratory impairment individually and in any combination.

Even if you don’t meet a listing, the Social Security administration must consider the effects of obesity and respiratory problems together to determine if you are able to return to your past relevant work or are unemployable in the national labor market given your age, education, and transferable skills.

Social Security disability claims for the effects of obesity can be won at the listing stage or by developing the medical and vocational evidence and establishes the cumulative effects of your obesity and respiratory problems.

To find Section 3.00 I. Effects of Obesity, click here.

For assistance contact St. Petersburg Florida Social Security lawyers Sharon Barrett and Nancy Cavey by clicking here or by calling 727.894.3188.

Learn More About: Listing of Impairments,Social Security Benefits for Respiratory Problems | Comments (0)| Permalink | Trackback |  Print This Post |  Email This Post

Have you or someone you know had a lung transplant? You might be able to file a claim for Social Security disability benefits as a result of the underlying conditions that caused you to have a lung transplant or as a result of the lung transplant itself.

Listing 3.11 directs the Social Security administration to evaluate a Social Security disability claim as a result of a lung transplant by looking at whether you’ve been disabled for at least 12 months after your surgery. After 12 months, the Social Security administration is to evaluate your residual physical impairments.

If you don’t meet a listing, you will need to develop the medical and vocational evidence that establishes that you cannot return to your past relevant work or engage in employment in the national economy in view of your age, education, or transferable skills. Most people who’ve undergone a lung transplant have residual functional problems that include shortness of breath, loss of stamina, as well as fatigue and side effects of medication. These postoperative problems will help you establish your entitlement to Social Security disability benefits.

You can view the listing here.

For more information about this listing, please contact Sharon Barrett, a Florida based social security disability lawyer by clicking here or calling 727.894.3188.

Learn More About: Listing of Impairments,Social Security Benefits for Respiratory Problems | Comments (1)| Permalink | Trackback |  Print This Post |  Email This Post

Mycobacterial, mycotic, and chronic persistent infections of the lung are listed conditions under section 3.08. You can get Social Security Disability benefits for chronic lung infections. You can look at the listing in detail here.

The Social Security Administration requires that these disorders be evaluated on the basis of resulting limitations in pulmonary function. Evidence of chronic infection with positive culture, drug resistance, enlarging parenchymal lesions or cavitation, are not, by themselves, a basis for determining that you have a disabling impairment expected to last 12 months.

If, however, you do have the pulmonary infection that persists almost 12 months, the clinical findings, complications, treatment considerations and prognosis will be carefully assessed by the Social Security Administration to determine whether, despite your pulmonary function, you have an impairment that is expected to last at least 12 consecutive months which prevents gainful activity.

This will be evaluated under the criteria found in 3.02 Chronic Pulmonary Insufficiency which you can will review at the posting on that topic.

Learn More About: Listing of Impairments,Social Security Benefits for Respiratory Problems | Comments (0)| Permalink | Trackback |  Print This Post |  Email This Post

If you have cystic fibrosis you most likely will be entitled to Social Security Benefits.

Cystic fibrosis is an inherited chronic disease that affects the lungs and digestive system which is caused by a defective gene. The body produces an unusually thick sticky mucus that clogs the lungs and can lead to infections. It also obstructs the pancreas and stops natural enzymes in helping the body break down and absorb food.

These symptoms can include:

1. Salty tasting skin;
2. Persistent coughing;
3. Frequent lung infections;
4. Wheezing and shortness of breath;
5. Poor growth/weight gain in spite of the good appetite;
6. Frequent greasy, bulky stools or difficult bowel movements.

For more information about cystic fibrosis, I would suggest you visit the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation website here.

The Social Security administration wants to see confirmation of the diagnosis based on elevated sweat sodium concentration or chloride concentration accompanied there a by one or more of the following — the presence of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, insufficiency of the exocrine pancreatic function, meconium ileus, or a positive family history.

The pulmonary manifestations are evaluated under Listing of Impairments 3.04. The non-pulmonary aspects of cystic fibrosis are evaluated under the Digestive Body System Listing 5.00. The combined effects of the involvement of both the respiratory and digestive systems must be considered.

For this condition to be severe enough to meet the Social Security Administration’s Listing 3.04, the claimant must have:

1. An FEV1 (forced expiratory volume) equal to or less than the appropriate value specified in a table IV found at Listing 3.04 corresponding to the individual’s height without shoes. For example, a Social Security disability applicants who is 71 inches or more without shoes must have an FEV of 2.05; OR
2. Episodes of bronchitis, pneumonia, blood streaked sputum or respiratory failure meeting certain documentation requirements, requiring physician intervention, occurring at least once every two months or at lease six times a year. Each inpatient hospitalization for longer than 24 hours for treatment counts as two episodes. An evaluation period of at least 12 consecutive months must be used to determine the frequency of the episodes; OR
3. Persistent pulmonary infection accompanied by recurrent symptomatic episodes of increased bacterial infection that occur at least once every six months. These superimposed episodes must require intravenous or nebulixation antimicrobial therapy.

Cystic fibrosis claims can be won with the appropriate documentation that meets Listing of Impairments -Section 3.04 and the assistance of a Tampa Social security disability attorney like Nancy Cavey. You can check out the listing by clicking here.

Learn More About: Listing of Impairments,Social Security Benefits for Respiratory Problems | Comments (1)| Permalink | Trackback |  Print This Post |  Email This Post

Asthma is a chronic lung disease that affects your airways which are the tubes that carry air in and out of your lungs. If you have asthma your airways are inflamed and narrowed. As your airways narrow, less air flows to your lung tissue. You may have wheezing, coughing, chest tightness, or trouble breathing.

An acute asthma attack occurs when the muscles around your airways tighten up as a result of an exacerbation. Asthma attacks can be different for different people. Some acute attacks can even result in death.

Your doctor may have prescribed asthma medication that works by relaxing the bronchospasm (bronchodilator) or reduce the inflammation (corticosteriods). For more information about asthma go the the National Heart Lung and Blood Institute website by clicking here.

For a condition to be severe enough to meet Listing 3.03 Asthma, a Social Security disability claim applicant must have:

1. Chronic asthmatic bronchitis is evaluated under the criteria for obstructive pulmonary disease at Listing 3.02 or
2. Attacks, in spite of prescribed treatment and requiring physician intervention, occurring east once every two months or at least six times a year. Each inpatient hospitalization for longer than 24 hours for control of asthma counts as two attacks. An evaluation period of the least 12 consecutive months must be used to determine the frequency of attacks.

If you do not meet a listing, don’t forget that you can establish your entitlement to Social Security disability benefits at hurdles four and five which are medical vocational factors.

For assistance with your Social Security Disability claim, contact Social security lawyer, Nancy Cavey.

The listing for asthma can be viewed here,

Learn More About: Listing of Impairments,Social Security Benefits for Respiratory Problems | Comments (1)| Permalink | Trackback |  Print This Post |  Email This Post