Orthopedic impairments are disorders of the musculoskeletal system which are inherited, caused by injury, or disease process. There is a wide range of orthopedic impairments including injuries to the spine such as herniated discs, degenerative changes, and arthritis; injuries or impairments to the arms, legs, neck, elbows, wrists, hands, knees, ankles or feet. Included in this category are soft tissue injuries and amputations. Social Security considers osteoarthritis as a musculoskeletal impairment but considers inflammatory and rheumatoid arthritis as an immune system disorder. There are some musculoskeletal disabilities caused by toxins or medications such as joint deterioration from the use of prednisone or steroids for asthma and deterioration of the foot bones and cartilage due to advanced diabetes. There are other bone growth disorders including Marfan Syndrome and dwarfism which includes over 300 categories. Other congenital conditions can affect bone development and growth including Turner's Syndrome, kyphosis, ankylosing spondylitis, scoliosis, spinal arachnoiditis and spinal stenosis and Social Security will review how these musculoskeletal impairments will limit an individual's ability to work. Testing is available for musculoskeletal impairments including MRIs, CAT scans, x-rays, bone scans, operative reports and blood work.
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: http://www.marfan.org/
