An autoimmune disorder occurs when your immune system mistakenly attacks your own body’s healthy tissues. According to the American Autoimmune Related Diseases Association, approximately 50 million Americans‚ 80% of them women‚ live with autoimmune disorders. You may qualify for Social Security disability benefits if you have a severe autoimmune disease that prevents you from working. Not everyone with an autoimmune condition qualifies. Social Security looks at how much your disease limits your ability to work, not just your diagnosis.
Autoimmune disorders are often “invisible illnesses.” You may not look sick, but you experience severe fatigue, chronic pain, and symptoms that others can’t see. We understand these challenges.
Common Autoimmune Disorders That Qualify for Disability
Many autoimmune conditions can qualify for Social Security disability benefits if they’re severe enough to prevent you from working.
Lupus and Disability Benefits
Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a complex autoimmune disease that can affect virtually any organ system in your body.
- Lupus can attack your kidneys (lupus nephritis), causing kidney failure that may require dialysis or transplant.
- Neurological involvement can cause seizures, strokes, memory problems, and psychiatric symptoms.
- Joint pain, fatigue, and recurrent flare-ups make consistent work impossible for many people with lupus.
- Social Security has specific criteria for lupus under Listing 14.02.
Learn more about Lupus and disability benefits
Antiphospholipid Syndrome (APS) and Disability
Antiphospholipid syndrome is an autoimmune disorder that causes your blood to clot too easily.
- APS causes recurrent blood clots, strokes, and pregnancy complications.
- Even with blood thinners, many people continue to have clotting events that can be life-threatening.
- Strokes from APS can cause lasting neurological damage affecting your ability to work.
- The unpredictability of clotting events makes reliable work attendance impossible.
Learn more about APS and disability
Rheumatoid Arthritis and Disability Benefits
Rheumatoid arthritis is an inflammatory disease that primarily attacks your joints but can affect other organs too.
- RA causes joint damage, deformity, and chronic pain that worsens over time despite treatment.
- Hand and wrist involvement prevents fine motor tasks like typing, writing, or gripping objects.
- Fatigue from RA is profound and doesn’t improve with rest.
- Extra-articular manifestations can affect your lungs, heart, eyes, and other organs.
Learn more about disability benefits for rheumatoid arthritis.
Multiple Sclerosis (MS) and Disability Benefits
Multiple sclerosis is an autoimmune disease that attacks the protective covering of your nerves in your brain and spinal cord.
- MS causes unpredictable relapses and remissions that make work reliability impossible.
- Fatigue, vision problems, weakness, numbness, and balance issues are common.
- Cognitive problems including memory loss and difficulty concentrating prevent many types of work.
- Progressive forms of MS cause worsening disability over time.
Learn more about MS and disability benefits
Sjogren’s Syndrome and Disability Benefits
Sjogren’s syndrome primarily causes severe dry eyes and dry mouth but can affect many other organ systems.
- Extreme dryness makes it impossible to see clearly, speak, eat, or swallow normally.
- Fatigue is often the most disabling symptom, making full-time work impossible.
- Neurological complications can cause numbness, tingling, weakness, and cognitive problems.
- Lung and kidney involvement can be life-threatening.
Learn more about Sjogren’s syndrome and disability
Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) and Disability
Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis are autoimmune disorders that cause chronic inflammation of your digestive tract.
- Frequent, unpredictable bowel movements make it impossible to work away from a bathroom.
- Severe abdominal pain, bleeding, and malnutrition are common.
- Complications like fistulas, strictures, and abscesses may require multiple surgeries.
- Some people need ostomy bags after surgery, which creates additional work limitations.
Learn more about Crohn’s and disability benefits
Psoriatic Arthritis and Disability Benefits
Psoriatic arthritis combines the joint inflammation of arthritis with the skin condition psoriasis.
- Joint damage can be as severe as rheumatoid arthritis, affecting hands, feet, spine, and other joints.
- Psoriasis skin lesions can be painful, limit mobility, and cause emotional distress.
- Fatigue and morning stiffness make it difficult to start and sustain work activities.
- Eye inflammation (uveitis) can threaten vision.
Learn more about psoriatic arthritis and disability
Scleroderma and Disability Benefits
Scleroderma (systemic sclerosis) causes hardening and tightening of the skin and internal organs.
- Hand contractures from tight skin make gripping, grasping, and fine motor tasks impossible.
- Lung involvement (pulmonary fibrosis) causes progressive shortness of breath and can be life-threatening.
- Digital ulcers on fingers and toes are extremely painful and limit hand function.
- Diffuse scleroderma qualifies for expedited approval under Social Security’s Compassionate Allowance program.
Learn more about scleroderma and disability benefits
Fibromyalgia and Disability Benefits
Fibromyalgia causes widespread chronic pain, fatigue, and cognitive problems.
- No lab test or imaging can prove fibromyalgia, making these claims challenging.
- Social Security published special guidance (SSR 12-2p) on how to evaluate fibromyalgia claims.
- Widespread pain and fatigue make sustained work impossible for many people.
- Cognitive symptoms (“fibro fog”) affect concentration, memory, and mental clarity.
Learn more about fibromyalgia and disability
How Social Security Evaluates Autoimmune Disorders
Social Security uses specific medical criteria to evaluate autoimmune disorder claims. However, these conditions are often “invisible”. Your symptoms are real and disabling, but others can’t see them. This creates unique challenges in proving your disability.
Understanding Invisible Disabilities
Most autoimmune disorders are invisible illnesses. You may look healthy to others, but you experience:
- Severe, unrelenting fatigue that doesn’t improve with rest
- Chronic widespread pain that’s difficult to describe or measure
- Brain fog affecting concentration, memory, and mental clarity
- Unpredictable flare-ups where symptoms suddenly worsen
- Good days and bad days that make consistent work performance impossible
The Invisible Disabilities Association provides resources and validation for people living with conditions that others can’t see. We understand these challenges personally and know how to document invisible symptoms effectively for Social Security.
The Blue Book Listings for Autoimmune Disorders
Social Security maintains specific criteria for autoimmune conditions in Section 14.00 of their Listing of Impairments.
- Each autoimmune disorder has specific requirements based on which organs are affected and how severely.
- Listing 14.02 covers systemic lupus erythematosus.
- Listing 14.09 covers inflammatory arthritis including rheumatoid arthritis and psoriatic arthritis.
- Some autoimmune conditions are evaluated under other body system listings depending on which organs are affected.
Meeting a listing requires very specific medical findings. Most people with autoimmune disorders don’t meet the exact listing criteria but can still get approved through other methods.
Medical Evidence Critical for Autoimmune Claims
Autoimmune disorder claims succeed or fail based on objective medical evidence and detailed documentation from your doctors.
Essential test results include:
- Positive antibody tests (ANA, anti-DNA, anti-Smith, RF, anti-CCP, and others specific to your condition)
- Inflammatory markers (ESR, CRP) showing ongoing inflammation
- Imaging studies showing joint damage, organ involvement, or other complications
- Biopsy results if you’ve had kidney, skin, or other tissue biopsies
- Pulmonary function tests if you have lung involvement
- Documented flare-ups and hospitalizations
Your symptoms matter too:
- How often do you have flare-ups and how long do they last?
- How many days per month are you completely unable to function?
- How far can you walk before fatigue stops you?
- Can you sustain activity for an 8-hour workday?
- Do medications cause side effects that limit your abilities?
Rheumatologists and Specialists Are Essential
Autoimmune disorders are complex conditions that require specialist care. Social Security looks for medical records from rheumatologists, neurologists, gastroenterologists, and other specialists who understand these diseases.
- Regular treatment with a rheumatologist or appropriate specialist is critical for your claim.
- Specialists understand the proper diagnostic criteria and testing for your condition.
- Detailed treatment notes from specialists carry more weight than primary care documentation.
- Your specialist’s opinion about your functional limitations is often very important evidence.
The National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (NIAMS), part of the National Institutes of Health, provides authoritative information about autoimmune disorders that can help you understand your condition and communicate effectively with your doctors.
The Challenge of Fluctuating Symptoms
One of the most difficult aspects of autoimmune disorders is that symptoms fluctuate dramatically. You have good days and bad days, periods of remission and periods of flare-ups. This unpredictability itself is disabling.
Why Fluctuating Symptoms Prevent Work
Employers need reliable workers who can consistently perform their job duties. When you never know if you’ll wake up in a flare that makes work impossible, you can’t provide that reliability.
- Social Security must consider your limitations on bad days, not just good days.
- Even if you have some good days, if bad days make you unreliable, you can’t sustain employment.
- Document every flare-up, every bad day, every time symptoms prevent normal activities.
- Your doctor’s records should note the frequency and severity of flare-ups.
Multiple Autoimmune Conditions Are Common
Many people have more than one autoimmune disorder.
- Having lupus increases your risk of developing other autoimmune diseases like Sjogren’s, thyroid disease, or antiphospholipid syndrome.
- Rheumatoid arthritis often occurs with Sjogren’s syndrome or thyroid disease.
- Multiple conditions create more severe limitations than any single condition alone.
- Social Security must consider the combined effect of all your conditions.
When you have multiple autoimmune disorders plus other conditions like depression, anxiety, or chronic pain, the combined effect can clearly prevent any type of work even if no single condition meets a listing on its own.
Medication Side Effects Can Be Disabling
Treating autoimmune disorders requires powerful medications that often cause significant side effects.
Immunosuppressants like methotrexate, azathioprine, or mycophenolate suppress your immune system to control inflammation.
- These medications increase infection risk, making many work environments dangerous.
- Nausea, diarrhea, hair loss, and fatigue are common side effects.
- Frequent blood tests are required to monitor for organ toxicity.
Corticosteroids like prednisone control inflammation but cause serious side effects.
- Weight gain, mood changes, insomnia, high blood pressure, and high blood sugar.
- Long-term steroid use causes bone loss, cataracts, and other complications.
- Steroid dependency shows your disease is severe and difficult to control.
Biologics like Humira, Enbrel, Rituxan, or Benlysta are powerful drugs that modify your immune response.
- Very expensive medications reserved for severe, refractory disease.
- Require injections or IV infusions.
- Can cause severe fatigue, increased infection risk, and other limiting side effects.
These medication side effects can be as disabling as the disease itself. Make sure your doctor documents all side effects you experience.
Age and Work History Matter Significantly
Your age plays an important role in autoimmune disorder disability claims.
If You’re Over 50
If you’re over age 50 with an autoimmune disorder limiting your physical capacity, your chances of approval increase substantially.
- Social Security’s grid rules recognize that older workers with physical limitations cannot easily transition to different types of work.
- If you performed physical labor and your autoimmune disease now limits you to sedentary work, you likely cannot return to your past jobs.
- Learning an entirely new occupation at age 50+ is considered unrealistic.
The combination of autoimmune disorder + age over 50 + physical work history = strong disability case, even if your condition doesn’t meet a listing exactly.
Learn more about disability benefits for people over 50
If You’re Under 50
Younger workers with autoimmune disorders face stricter standards but can still get approved with strong evidence.
- You need to show your autoimmune disease prevents all work, including sedentary jobs.
- Emphasize fatigue, cognitive problems, unpredictable flare-ups, and medication side effects.
- Having multiple autoimmune disorders or other conditions combined strengthens your claim.
- Document how unpredictability of symptoms makes reliable work attendance impossible.
Autoimmune Disorders Combined With Other Conditions
Autoimmune diseases rarely exist in isolation. They often occur with other medical and mental health conditions.
Autoimmune Disorders and Depression or Anxiety
Living with chronic, unpredictable, painful conditions naturally affects your mental health.
- Depression and anxiety are extremely common in people with autoimmune disorders.
- The stress of managing chronic illness, frequent medical appointments, medication side effects, and work loss worsens mental health.
- Mental health conditions combined with physical autoimmune symptoms can clearly prevent any work.
- Both your physical and mental limitations must be documented and considered together.
Autoimmune Disorders and Chronic Fatigue
Profound, unrelenting fatigue is one of the most disabling symptoms across all autoimmune disorders.
- This isn’t normal tiredness. It’s complete physical and mental exhaustion that doesn’t improve with rest.
- Fatigue alone can make full-time work impossible even if other symptoms are controlled.
- Your doctors should document the severity of your fatigue and how it limits daily activities.
- Fatigue combined with pain, cognitive problems, and other symptoms creates clear disability.
Autoimmune Disorders and Other Medical Conditions
Autoimmune diseases increase your risk of other serious health problems.
- Heart problems are more common in people with lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, and other inflammatory diseases.
- Osteoporosis from steroid use and chronic inflammation increases fracture risk.
- Chronic kidney disease from lupus nephritis or other organ involvement.
- Diabetes can result from steroid use or occur alongside autoimmune conditions.
When you have an autoimmune disorder plus other serious medical conditions, Social Security must consider their combined effect on your ability to work.
Common Reasons Autoimmune Disorder Claims Get Denied
Understanding why autoimmune claims get denied helps you strengthen your case from the beginning.
“You Don’t Look Sick”
This is perhaps the most frustrating reason for denial. Because autoimmune disorders are often invisible, Social Security may question whether you’re really as limited as you claim.
- Objective medical evidence is critical. Lab tests, imaging, specialist documentation.
- Detailed treatment notes showing what you’ve tried and how you’ve responded.
- Your doctor’s opinion describing limitations is essential.
- Testimony at a hearing where you can explain your daily struggles.
Not Seeing Specialists Regularly
If you’re not under regular care with a rheumatologist or appropriate specialist, Social Security may deny your claim.
- Autoimmune disorders require specialist management.
- Gaps in treatment hurt your case significantly.
- Regular specialist visits show your condition is serious and ongoing.
- Specialists provide the detailed documentation Social Security needs.
Laboratory Results Are Normal
Sometimes autoimmune disorder lab tests are normal even when you’re experiencing severe symptoms.
- Not all autoimmune diseases show abnormal labs during every test.
- Some people are “seronegative” (negative antibody tests) but still have autoimmune disease.
- Your symptoms and specialist’s clinical findings matter even with normal labs.
- Documented flare-ups, treatment history, and response to immunosuppressive medications support your claim.
“Treatment Should Control Your Symptoms”
Social Security sometimes denies claims arguing that with proper treatment, you should be able to work.
- Many autoimmune disorders don’t respond adequately to treatment despite trying multiple medications.
- Treatment side effects can be as disabling as the disease.
- Document all treatments tried, responses, and continued limitations despite treatment.
- The fact that you need powerful immunosuppressants or biologics shows your disease is severe.
Why Legal Representation Matters for Autoimmune Claims
Autoimmune disorder disability claims are among the most challenging to win because these conditions are complex, often invisible, and symptoms fluctuate. Medical evidence requirements are extensive and specific.
- We know what medical evidence Social Security needs for each autoimmune disorder.
- We understand the diagnostic criteria, specialist terminology, and test results.
- We know how to present invisible disabilities and fluctuating symptoms effectively.
- Most autoimmune claims require appeals.
Learn more about why representation from a disability lawyer helps
Getting Help With Your Autoimmune Disorder Claim
If you have a severe autoimmune disorder preventing you from working, you should consider applying for disability benefits. These claims are complex and most require at least one appeal before approval.
We Believe You
We know autoimmune disorders are real, serious, and disabling even when others can’t see your symptoms. We understand the exhaustion, pain, brain fog, and unpredictability of your symptoms.
Free Consultation
We offer a free consultation to review your autoimmune condition and medical evidence.
- We’ll tell you honestly whether you likely qualify for disability benefits.
- We’ll assess what medical evidence you need to strengthen your claim.
- We’ll explain how your age and work history affect your case.
- There’s no cost and no obligation.
No Fees Unless We Win
We work on contingency. So you pay nothing upfront. We only get paid if we win your case, and our fee comes from your back pay if approved. You have zero financial risk.
Call us today to discuss your autoimmune disorder disability claim.
Related Resources
- How to Apply for Disability Benefits
- Understanding the Appeals Process
- Disability Benefits for People Over 50
We understand how devastating autoimmune disorders can be. We’re here to help you get the disability benefits you need and deserve.
