Can I Collect Social Security Disability Benefits for Chronic Pain?

You dutifully pay into the social security system every year so that it will take care of you when you need it.
You know the social security administration (SSA) will compensate you when you retire.
However, you wonder if you can claim your benefits if and when you suffer from chronic pain.
You wonder if you can depend on your SSD benefits when the pain is so bad that you cannot work.
Knowing and understanding how social security administration handles chronic pain claims before submitting your application helps. This knowledge offers a more robust and better application that increases the chances of receiving your social security benefits.

Effects of Chronic Pain on Your Life

The SSA evaluates each case based on how their condition prevents the candidate from working. You can strengthen your application by gathering proof proving the chronic pain effects on your everyday life and work.
Do this by checking your work history to see if your condition has created situations that may cause possible termination like:

• Missing lots of time from work
• Productivity not being up to the mark
• The need to switch to a lower-paying job to keep the chronic condition under control

In short, you need to prove that your chronic pain interferes with your work. And the better picture you manage to create, the higher are the chances of application approval.

Possible Reasons for Chronic Pain

One of the significant hurdles to overcome to get your social security benefits is proving the medical reason for your chronic pain. Most sufferers need to undergo multiple tests and still not reach a conclusive reason for their chronic pain. This is bad for you as it questions your disability.
Besides, the Social Security blue book doesn’t include chronic pain. You, however, may qualify for benefits if you explain that the pain is a consequence of some other condition.

Common Conditions Which May Lead to Chronic Pain Include:

• Back injury
• Inflammatory arthritis
• Cystitis
• Cancer
• Chronic renal disease
• Fibromyalgia
• Vertebral fracture
• Inflammatory bowel disease

You and your doctor may be able to reach the root cause if you suffer from these conditions and chronic pain. Your doctor will then provide the required documents to help with your social security benefits application.
It’s always better to consult a doctor who has handled SSD applications before. They know which evidence to provide for a successful application.

Residual Functional Capacity (RFC) Assessments

Don’t give up if all the tests, and your doctor, cannot get to the root of your chronic pain. You can consider undergoing an RFC assessment. Though draining, the evaluation assesses your work productivity based on your existing physical and mental limitations.
It can, in turn, prove the chronic pain you go through that limits your working abilities.
The assessment also reveals important information for your application like:

• The pain duration and severity
• Its impact on your everyday activities

Various Factors Affecting Your Pain Levels

As the RFC assessment examines your physical and mental capabilities, you need to be realistic during the test. You need to perform your everyday activities and reveal how you feel after an hour of completing daily tasks.
You need to reveal if you are feeling fine or suffering from pain and hiding it. If you are trying to hide the pain, it means you can’t walk around even for an hour without any issues.
The RFC also examines how you manage your pain.
For example, if the pain keeps you off work, this may not be acceptable in some jobs.
In this case, the RFC will determine if you can work at your current job or if you have other options. If and when you are entirely unable to work, they will consider giving you your social security benefits.

Consult Your Burbank Social Security Benefits Lawyer Before Submitting an Application

It’s no doubt challenging to apply for social security benefits if you suffer from chronic pain. However, it’s something you need to do and is unavoidable.
Working with the right social security benefits attorney in Burbank will help make things so much easier for you!