Peripheral Artery Disease (PAD) is a health condition that often causes excruciating pain in the legs, making it difficult to do activities like walking, standing, or other physical activities. Worse, it also has the potential to hurt vital organs by reducing blood flow throughout your body. The Social Security Administration (SSA) considers PAD a qualifying condition to award Social Security Disability benefits, but meeting eligibility requirements is anything but straightforward.
At Lunn and Forro, PLLC, we provide the necessary legal experience and successful case history you need to determine if you qualify for SSD program benefits.
Peripheral Arterial Disease Symptoms
Typically, your legs will be affected by peripheral arterial disease first, causing weakness, uncomfortable numbness, and sores that do seem to heal properly. Pain can be aggravated when muscles become stressed due to restricted blood flow.
Common symptoms individuals with PAD experience include:
- Sensations of weakness and numbness in the legs
- Sores that do not heal
- Muscle cramping after stressful activities in your thighs, calves, hips, and/or legs
- Poor blood flow in your legs and/or feet
- Color change in your legs and/or feet because of poor blood flow
Depending on the severity of your peripheral arterial disease, the pain you might experience can range widely from moderate to debilitating in nature.
Understanding Treatment Options for Peripheral Artery Disease (PAD)
Peripheral artery disease (PAD) happens when the blood vessels in your legs get too narrow. This makes it hard for blood to flow, which can cause pain when walking, cold feet, or sores that don’t heal. PAD is serious, but there are PAD treatments that can help. If you have PAD, it’s important to see your doctor and follow their advice.
Doctors usually start with lifestyle changes. If you smoke, quitting is very important. Walking every day can also help improve blood flow. Eating healthy foods like fruits, vegetables, and whole grains is another key step.
Medicine may also be needed. Some drugs help blood flow better, and others lower blood pressure or cholesterol. These medicines can help prevent the disease from getting worse.
If PAD is very bad, doctors might use special procedures. One option is angioplasty, where a tiny balloon opens up the clogged blood vessel. Sometimes a small tube called a stent is placed to keep the blood vessel open. In some cases, surgery may be needed to make a new path for blood to flow.
Does Peripheral Artery Disease Qualify as an SSA Disability?
SSA rules qualify PAD as a disability under specific circumstances in the agency’s Blue Book (often referred to as the “Listings”). You will have to not only prove your diagnosis but meet additional criteria in addition to being unable to work because of this disease, including:
- Experiencing a 50% or more decrease in systolic blood pressure when exercising and a rest period of more than 10 minutes
- Experiencing a 30mm HG resting systolic pressure or lower when taken at a toe
- Having a resting ratio of 0.50 systolic pressure or less at the ankle or arm
- Measuring a resting systolic blood pressure ratio of 0.40 or lower at the toe or arm
- Experiencing leg cramping caused by exercise
However, it is important to understand that even if you do not meet the requirements as listed, you may still qualify for benefits if you can show that your PAD prevents you from working. If you or a loved one may qualify for SSD because of a peripheral artery diagnosis, working with a highly trained Raleigh disability lawyer is crucial to your claim. Together, you will determine if you meet SSA qualifications for this severe disease and if your medical evidence reflects this reality with documentation of the conditions caused by PAD.
How to Prove a PAD Disability Claim
Whether you suffer from peripheral artery disease or some other qualifying SSA condition, the most challenging aspect of qualifying for disability benefits is submitting enough evidence to support your claim. When you fill out your application, you will have to share details about your health, employment, and medical history, including the doctors treating your condition. With this information, the SSA will review your application, possibly send you for further medical examinations, and determine if you meet eligibility requirements.
If you cannot supply the documented evidence necessary to evaluate your claim, you may be required to visit a doctor for additional analysis or risk your claim getting denied. This is why you should work with experienced North Carolina social security disability benefits attorneys like Lunn and Forro, PLLC. We ensure that you have all the necessary information that Social Security requires, including contact details for your treating physicians, therapists, and other relevant records regarding conditions. We understand what level of evidence the SSA expects to receive to decide on your benefit eligibility.
When applying for an SSD, you will need to have earned a specific amount of work credits based on your age. Usually, this means having worked at least part-time for at least five years out of the past decade, but younger applicants could still qualify despite having less work experience. Also, there are earnings limits though investment income won’t count against this cap.
Choose a Skilled Social Security Disability Lawyer to Represent Your Claim
Filing a social security disability claim for peripheral artery disease is a crucial step in ensuring that the financial and medical damages caused by this debilitating condition are manageable. Working with the knowledgeable attorneys of Lunn and Forro, PLLC, will help ensure that you present the best possible case to the SSA.
Because our practice focuses on social security disability law, we have the breadth of experience and successful case records to provide you the best possible representation for your claim. Contact us today and set up a free consultation to learn how to successfully navigate this complex process and get the benefits you need.
