Osteoarthritis usually affects the hands and knees and sometimes the hips or spine but it can strike any joint. It is sometimes referred to as degenerative joint disease and is the most common form of arthritis. Symptoms include pain, swelling and reduced motion in the joints. What causes the pain and swelling is the breakdown of cartilage in the joints preventing the absorption of shock or the smooth movement of joints. Without cartilage, the bones rub together and over time can cause permanent damage to the joint. Factors that make arthritis worse include aging, joint injury and being overweight. Arthritis may be a result of heredity, illness, injury, toxic exposure, or degenerative changes. Arthritis can deteriorate the bone to such a degree that surgery and/or prosthetic device such as a hip, knee or ankle is required.
Social Security will review how your arthritis and other orthopedic conditions causes a loss of function in activities needed for work such as difficulty sitting, standing, walking or using your legs, arms, or hands for daily activities.
In order to prove your disability to Social Security, you need to either document that your condition or conditions meet or equal in severity the criteria found in the Social Security Commissioner's regulations or, if you are an adult, that your condition and symptoms are so severe that you are unable to work. If you are a child under 18, you must similarly show that your condition or conditions meet or equal in severity the criteria in the Social Security Commissioner's regulations or that your condition or conditions functionally equals the Commissioner's regulations. The law firm of Sheryl Gandel Mazur has experienced disability attorneys and has been representing individuals in their Social Security disability appeals for over twenty five years. Let us help you receive your Social Security disability benefits.
Our disability law firm represents individuals:
- In filing their initial disability applications
- In handling cases at the initial level including appealing initial denials
- In handling cases at the reconsideration level including appealing reconsideration denials
- In handling cases at the hearings level
- In appealing and handling cases at the Appeals Council level
- In appealing and handling cases at the Federal Court level
This firm also handles SSI child's disability cases at all levels.
Organizations: Arthritis Foundation (http://www.arthritis.org/), National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (tp://www.niams.nih.gov/); in New Jersey: www.arthritis.org/chapters/new-jersey.
