Suffering from a degenerative disease such as rheumatoid arthritis can produce several health consequences that negatively impact your job performance. Although filing a claim for disability with the Social Security Administration (SSA) can help cover the costs associated with medical bills and missing work, the fact remains that the SSA denies a majority of disability claims.
This means that workers that suffer from rheumatoid arthritis might have to go with Plan B, which is knowing how to file an appeal for a rheumatoid arthritis disability claim.
Filing a Persuasive Social Security with Rheumatoid Arthritis Appeal
The SSA publishes a healthcare guide call the Blue Book, which lists every medical condition that qualifies workers for disability benefits.
You should look at the Blue Book as a medical standard that requires passing two tests. The first test is to have a disease or an illness that lists in the SSA medical guide.
Rheumatoid arthritis lists under Section 14.09 of the Blue Book, which means you have passed the first test reviewed by a team of medical examiners from the SSA.
Passing the second test requires applicants to demonstrate that the symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis have developed into severe signs of the often progressive physical disorder.
Intense pain in one or more joints represents a common severe symptom, as does rapid swelling in several joints that make it difficult to complete basic physically-oriented tasks.
Acute rheumatoid arthritis symptoms include a high fever and chronic fatigue, with the second symptom adversely impacting job performance on a daily basis
The Proof Lies in Diagnostic Tests
When you filed the original disability claim for rheumatoid arthritis, you submitted medical documents that made your case.
Filing an appeal for denied disability benefits means you have to submit additional medical documents that persuade a team of medical examiners at the SSA to approve your original disability claim.
Diagnostic testing for rheumatoid arthritis starts with your doctor conducting a comprehensive physical examination to check for joint swelling and tenderness, as well as your range of motion.
An antibody blood test measures the level of certain proteins that develop in patients that suffer from rheumatoid arthritis.
Imaging tests typically prove the development of severe symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis, especially x-rays that show the extent of joint damage.
Physical Tests Can Reverse a Rheumatoid Arthritis Denied Disability Claim
Getting a denied with rheumatoid arthritis disability claim overturned often requires the completion of a Residual Functional Capacity (RFC) assessment.
An RFC assessment consists of a battery of physical tests that measure how much work you can perform while dealing with the symptoms of the joint disease.
A physician from the SSA puts you through ordinary physical tests, such as asking you to raise both arms and squeeze both hands to determine the level of pain and your mobility range.
Other physical tests that form an RFC assessment for rheumatoid arthritis include doing mild knee squats and walking on a treadmill at a moderate pace for at least 15 minutes.
Complete a Free Case Evaluation
Before you file an appeal for a denied rheumatoid arthritis disability claim, schedule a free initial consultation with a Social Security attorney to complete a free case evaluation.
In addition to analyzing the strength of your appeal, a Social Security lawyer also ensures you meet the 60-day filing deadline for your appeal.
The 60-day clock begins on the day you received the letter from the SSA informing you about your denied rheumatoid arthritis disability claim.
