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Millions of Americans have blood disorders. For some of the millions of Americans with blood disorders, these conditions are often disabling. They can cause severe complications.
At Pekas Smith Disability Attorneys, our Phoenix SSDI attorneys help people get disability benefits, including those who have blood-related conditions. Call 602.962.2818 to learn how you may get disability for a blood disorder and how our disability attorneys can represent you.
Getting Disability for a Blood Disorder
You can get disability for a blood disorder if your medical impairment prevents you from engaging in substantial gainful activity. You may prove your qualification for disability by having a blood disorder listed in section 7.00 of the SSDI Blue Book by equaling a listing or showing how your residual functional capacity prevents you from working.
How Does SSDI Evaluate Blood Disorders?
SSDI evaluates blood disorders under Blue Book listings section 7.00 – Hematological Disorders. Listings include a variety of blood disorders, including hematological disorders, disorders of thrombosis and hemostasis, and bone marrow failure. Blood disorders may include impairments related to white blood cells, red blood cells, platelets, and blood clotting.
Note: Cancers of the blood are evaluated under cancer listings, including lymphoma, leukemia, and multiple myeloma. Non-malignant blood disorders are typically evaluated under section 7. HIV is evaluated in sections 14.11B and 14.11C.
Blood Disorders and Disability
The blood supplies oxygen and nutrients to the body. It carries cells throughout the body that the body relies on to function. There are many types of blood disorders, so there are many possible symptoms and complications. When a person is unable to work because of a blood disorder, they may qualify for disability benefits.
What Blood Disorders Qualify for Disability?
Blood disorders that may qualify for disability include:
- Hemolytic anemias, which may result from autoimmune disease, heart valve devices, or intravascular patch
- Hemoglobinopathies
- RBC enzyme content and function abnormalities
- RBC membrane defects, congenital and acquired
- Sickle cell disease
- Thalassemia and variants, beta thalassemia major (bone marrow)
- Hereditary spherocytosis
- Anemia, including iron-deficiency anemia, pernicious anemia, anemia resulting from chronic disease, aplastic anemia, autoimmune hemolytic anemia, and sickle cell anemia
- Hypercoagulation, hypercoagulation, thrombosis, hemostasis disorders
- Hemophilia
- Von Willebrand disease (blood clotting disorder), excessive clotting
- Thrombocytopenia
- Myelodysplastic syndrome
- Granulocytopenia
- Myelofibrosis
A person with a blood disorder may have complications like pulmonary hypertension, heart failure, stroke, bleeding, pain, and gallbladder disease.
How Do You Prove a Blood Disorder for an SSDI Application?
To prove a blood disorder for an SSDI application, you may present:
- Laboratory reports establishing a hematological disorder, signed by a physician.
- Laboratory reports of testing for hematological disorder, not signed by a physician, accompanied by a report from a physician that states the person has the disorder.
- If there is no laboratory report or test, a physician’s report with a diagnosis and confirmation. Materials provided must contain appropriate laboratory analysis or other diagnostic methods.
Materials provided to prove a blood disorder for an SSDI application must be persuasive. They must explain how the diagnosis is made or what tests were conducted.
Can you get SSDI if you’ve had a bone marrow transplant?
A person who has had a bone marrow transplant is considered disabled for 12 months from the date of the transplant. They may continue to be disabled after they have complications like graft-versus-host (GVH) disease, infection, or the deterioration of organ systems.
Can you get SSDI if you’ve had a stem cell transplant?
Following a stem cell transplant, a person is considered disabled for 12 months. After the 12 months, a person who continues to have medical impairment may qualify to receive ongoing SSDI payments.
Will I have to have invasive blood disorder tests for an SSDI application?
It is not the policy of claims examiners to order expensive or invasive tests for a disability application based on a blood disorder. It is unlikely that they will ask you for bone marrow testing, for example. It is possible that claims examiners may ask you for more information or even an examination, but they are unlikely to order costly, invasive testing.
Blood disorders, disability, and concurrent impairments
Blood disorders often overlap with other body systems. If you don’t see your listing in Blue Book section 7.00, be sure to have a professional check other sections. Remember that it’s possible to qualify for SSDI based on concurrent impairments and a showing that the applicant doesn’t have the residual functional capacity to work.
Making Your SSDI Claim for Blood Disorders a Success
The SSDI Blue Book listings explain in detail what evidence is needed for disability approval for blood disorders. The information that you present should verify your diagnosis and explain how it prevents you from functioning in a work setting on a sustained basis. Complications are often a significant consideration for applications based on blood disorders.
It may be critical to explain how the diagnosis limits activities of daily living, social functioning, and completing tasks promptly. To make a claim successful, an applicant should carefully review the relevant Blue Book listing and present the required information. Many applications are rejected simply because they are medically incomplete.
How a lawyer can help
At Pekas Smith Disability Attorneys, we represent disability applicants. We can evaluate your situation and determine the best path for your disability claim.
We assist our clients with all steps of the application process, including showing that you have sufficient work credits and making sure that your application contains the personal details needed for approval. We represent clients at all stages of an application. As attorneys, we can represent you at a hearing or on appeal in court. Throughout the case, we discuss each step and keep you informed.
Free Case Consultation – Talk to a Lawyer
Are you wondering if you can get disability for a blood disorder? Talk to a disability lawyer in Arizona at Pekas Smith Disability Attorneys. We’re happy to discuss your case with you and learn how your blood disorder prevents you from working. We can review eligibility criteria, see if you qualify for SSDI benefits, and discuss how our legal team may represent you.
Call 602.962.2818 or message us for a free case consultation.
