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The SSDI lawyers for heart disease at Pekas Smith Disability Attorneys represent people who are seeking disability benefits. We serve our clients with legal experience, knowledge, commitment, and compassion. Contact us today to see how our law firm can assist you with your disability claim.
Lawyers for Disability for Heart Problems
You may be starting your application for the first time. You may have received a denial and don’t know what to do. Pekas Smith Disability Attorneys is a full-service law firm for people seeking disability benefits. If you need disability for heart problems, please contact us for a free consultation about your situation.
What heart conditions qualify for disability?
The Social Security Administration defines cardiovascular impairment as any disorder affecting the proper functioning of the heart or circulatory system. Conditions that may qualify include:
- Heart disease, heart failure, myocardial ischemia, syncope
- Recurrent arrhythmias
- Disorders of the veins or arteries, obstruction, rupture, or aneurysm
- Peripheral vascular disease (evaluated with impairments for the affected body system)
- Heart transplant
- Chronic venous insufficiency
Heart disease may qualify for disability, whether it is congenital or acquired. Even if your cardiovascular issue is not a listed impairment, it is still possible to qualify for disability payments if your medical problems prevent you from working.
Understanding heart disease
Cardiomyopathy is a disease of the heart muscle in which it becomes enlarged, thick, or rigid. It causes the heart to become weaker and less able to pump blood through the body and maintain a normal electrical rhythm. This can lead to heart failure or irregular heartbeats called arrhythmias. Symptoms of cardiomyopathy and related disorders can include loss of breath, swelling in the extremities, fatigue, bloating, and abnormal heart rhythm.
A myocardial infarction, also known as a heart attack, occurs when a thrombus, or blood clot, blocks the flow of blood to the heart. Treatment options may include medications, stent placements, and bypass surgery. Acute heart events can have long-lasting residual effects.
A cerebrovascular accident, commonly known as a stroke, occurs when blood flow to the brain is interrupted by a blockage or artery rupture. The recovery process can be lengthy and intensive. Full recovery may not be attainable.
Individuals with cardiac impairments often establish with cardiologists and neurologists for ongoing treatment. Treatment with a specialist physician is often necessary to manage your condition and to establish the requisite proof in a Social Security disability and long-term disability context.
Disability for Heart Problems
The Social Security Administration evaluates heart disease in Section 4.00 – Cardiovascular System of the Blue Book Listing of Impairments, Part A. When evaluating cardiovascular impairment, examiners may look at the following:
- Symptoms and signs of the medical condition
- Laboratory findings
- ECG (electrocardiograph or electrocardiograph results)
- Physical examinations
- Exercise tests, including the exercise tolerance test (ETT)
- Response to a regimen of prescribed treatment
- Functional limitations
Examiners need sufficient medical documentation to assess the severity and duration of the applicant’s cardiovascular disease. At least three months of medical records should be provided. Without sufficient longitudinal evidence, examiners may ask for a consultative examination.
Because there are several different types of cardiovascular problems, each is evaluated differently. Ischemic heart disease is evaluated under the guidance given in Section 4.04.
To receive disability for heart disease, the applicant must show symptoms due to myocardial ischemia while on a treatment regimen. They must also present evidence of one of the following:
- Exercise tolerance testing with results at a level evidencing their condition, as outlined in Section 4.04
- Three separate ischemic episodes, either requiring revascularization or not amenable to revascularization, in a 12-month period
- Angiography or other acceptable imaging showing coronary artery disease. If there is no exercise tolerance test, then a qualified physician’s conclusion that the test would pose a significant risk to the individual, along with angiographic evidence showing certain levels of narrowing arteries or vessels, and evidence of serious limitations in the activities of daily living
There are several cardiovascular diseases encompassed in Section 4.00. Each has its own standards for what examiners are looking for. The applicant should address the impairment that is appropriate for their situation.
Talk to a Lawyer – Consultations Available
To see how our SSDI lawyers for heart disease may assist you, contact Pekas Smith Disability Attorneys for your free consultation. We look forward to speaking with you.
SSDI Heart Disease – FAQs
Can you get SSDI for heart disease?
Yes. If heart disease prevents you from working, and you meet the other qualifications for disability benefits, you can receive SSDI payments for heart disease.
How hard is it to get disability for heart failure?
Getting disability for heart failure involves submitting detailed medical records that verify the nature and severity of your medical condition. The Social Security Administration provides standards for evaluating applications based on cardiovascular impairments. To make an application successful, the applicant must submit the needed information.
Why are disability claims for heart problems denied?
Disability claims for heart problems are often denied because the person didn’t submit the correct medical information. Examiners need to see certain tests and records. If information is missing or incomplete, it may delay the application or result in a denial.
