You’ve been dealing with your skin outbreaks for years now. It’s almost second nature—the bandages, the constant outpatient appointments at Nebraska Medical Center in Omaha, and wearing long sleeves year-round to hide your condition. You’re facing increasing limitations at work, and your boss seems unwilling to accommodate you. You’re worried that it’s only a matter of time before you won’t be able to come in at all.

Getting Social Security Payments for Skin Problems

If you are unable to earn a living because you suffer from a skin disorder like psoriasis that causes recurrent, painful lesions, you may be able to get Social Security disability payments. In order to qualify for benefits, the Social Security Administration (SSA) will evaluate your condition based on three factors:

  • Extent of your skin lesions. In most cases, Social Security does not provide benefits to patients suffering from minor (or less frequent) skin lesions. Skin lesions must be extensive to qualify, meaning they must affect multiple sites, interfere with the motion of your joints, limit your mobility or dexterity, or occur so frequently that they affect your working ability.
  • Symptoms. Even if your lesions themselves do not cause an immediate threat to your health, your symptoms can severely limit you in the course of your daily life. If your skin condition causes painful lesions that make it difficult for you to sleep, or you suffer from chronic infections from skin breakages, you should provide this information to the SSA.
  • Treatment. In many cases, the treatment for a condition can be just as limiting at the condition itself. If you suffer skin outbreaks on your fingers that require you to wear topical medication or gloves, your ability to do fine work will be affected. If you take medication that causes severe nausea or light sensitivity, you may be forced to take time off work or be limited to working from home. In addition, some skin disorders are resistant to treatment, meaning that you are unlikely to recover fully from your condition.

How Can I Prove the Extent of My Condition to the SSA?

First, you should gather as much medical information as you can to submit with your disability application. Next, you should read through our guide, 5 Deadly Mistakes That Can Destroy Your Social Security Disability Case, before sending your application in. Click the link on this page to get your free copy!

Timothy J. Cuddigan (Founder - Retired)
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Omaha Social Security and Veterans Disability Lawyer With Over 40 Years Experience