What is the SSA Blue Book and how does it affect my claim?

When a medical condition or symptoms of a health issue make it hard to accomplish daily activities, supporting yourself and your family can be next to impossible. However, no matter how much pain you’re in or how difficult it is to function—you still need money to survive. Fortunately, the Federal Government understands this plight and empathizes with the gravity of such situations.

To help those who are physically unable to help themselves, the Social Security Administration (SSA) provides disability benefits for qualifying applicants. However, in order to receive disability income, you must be able to prove that your condition does indeed keep you from being able to support your family.

Now, the SSA understands that there are hundreds, if not thousands, of ailments that can keep a person from being able to work. This is why they have created a disability approved condition guidebook (known as the bluebook), as a way to track ailments and the potential link between severity and work inability.

The Blue Book: The Guide to Approving Your Disability Application

The Blue Book is essentially a manual of how the SSA disability panel evaluates your application for approval or rejection. Although the guidebook doesn’t include every factor for eligibility, it is a good reference to help determine if filing for disability is a viable option. The book includes specific explanations on what the panel is looking for in an application. Types of conditions that are eligible for disability: the categories of disorders within the blue book are as follows:

  • 1.00 Musculoskeletal System
  • 2.00 Special Senses and Speech Disorders  
  • 3.00 Respiratory System
  • 4.00 Cardiovascular Disorders
  • 5.00 Digestive System
  • 6.00 Genitourinary Disorders
  • 7.00 Hematological Disorders
  • 8.00 Skin Disorders
  • 9.00 Endocrine System
  • 10.00 Congenital Disorders Affecting Multiple Body Systems
  • 11.00 Neurological Disorders
  • 12.00 Mental Disorders
  • 13.00 Neoplastic Disorders
  • 14.00 Immune System*
     

The Blue Book also includes:

  • Qualifications – How long an applicant must have had the condition to qualify and what types of symptoms the applicant must show.
  • Definitions – Explanations on how the SSA defines certain conditions, symptoms, maladies, and diseases.
  • Evaluation – How conditions are evaluated, how and when the condition was diagnosed, and how the condition impairs the applicant from working.
  • Severity ratings – How symptoms are classified for severity and how disabling the condition is.
  • Evidence – What type of evidence or proof is needed for the application to be considered for approval.

Making Your Case

Although the Blue Book provides excellent resources to help you decided whether to pursue a claim, filing can still be extremely difficult and confusing. Don’t allow your claim to be jeopardized because of the complex jargon or misdirection. Contact us today to see how an experienced disability lawyer can help you better understand the application and help get the results you need out of your application.

Our vast experience with disability claims, as well as our unique knowledge of the claim process, will help make sure that you have all the necessary documentation, requirements, knowledge, and confidence to ensure increased odds of approval. Don’t waste your time waiting for a rejection letter—let us fight to ensure that you get the consideration you deserve and the benefits you and your family need. Call us today for a free consultation, and take the first step toward getting your rightful disability.

Are You Looking for a Social Security Disability Attorney in Boston, MA?

If you are looking to apply for social security disability, you need to speak with an experienced social security disability lawyer as soon as possible. Please contact us online or call our Natick Office directly at 508.283.5500 to schedule your free consultation.

 

John L. Keefe
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Founding Attorney, Massachusetts Social Security Disability Lawyer