Back pain is one of the most common chronic pain conditions that people in New York experience starting in their mid-twenties and onward. If you find your back pain to be severe enough that it affects your ability to work effectively and is costing you a lot of money for medical treatment, you may be wondering if you are eligible to receive any disability benefits through Social Security.
Unfortunately, Social Security makes it very difficult for people to get any benefits for their back pain. However, it is possible for you to qualify if you meet certain conditions.
Proving the severity of your pain
Disability Benefits Help states that you need to show medical records, including CAT scans, MRIs or x-rays demonstrating that you have been dealing with the back pain for over a year. Even with this evidence, it is still possible that the Social Security Administration (SSA) will order additional testing.
What the SSA considers as disabled
If you find that your back pain keeps you from doing your job effectively, you still may not receive benefits. This is because the SSA considers someone disabled only if he or she is unable to work any job for at least a year. If the SSA determines that you can work in another position in your condition, then it will most likely not consider you to be disabled.
If you have been diagnosed and are curious about your specific condition, you can refer to the Blue Book. It is a guide that contains a list of specific conditions and criteria that delineate whether or not one can receive SSD benefits.
This is an informational article and is not to be used as legal advice.