Gout is a medical condition that leaves patients wracked with pain that’s so severe it can impair your ability to function on a daily basis. It is not, unfortunately, listed among the conditions that the Social Security Administration considers to automatically qualify one for SSDI benefits.
That doesn’t mean, however, that if your gout is bad enough, you shouldn’t apply. Your symptoms may create enough of a disability that you are indeed eligible. Learn how you can get social security benefits if you have severe gout, even though it’s not a listed condition, with a Los Angeles disability benefits lawyer.
What Causes Gout?
Gout is caused when your kidneys don’t function properly to clear uric acid from your blood, and the waste substance builds up and form what are known as urate crystals in your joints and tendons. This can also be called crystalline arthritis. The condition can be inherited from generation to generation. It can also be caused by being overweight, poor nutrition, and excess consumption of alcohol, which harms the functioning of your kidneys.
More men than women have gout, and it tends to occur more often in older individuals than in younger people, being diagnosed most often in those over the age of 30. However, those who develop it early tend to have the most severe cases.
How Gout Can Be Disabling
Gout can be excruciating when it flares up and usually begins in the feet, specifically in the big toe. Later, it spreads to other joints throughout the foot, and into the ankles and legs, and eventually into your arms and even the spine. The pain that results can also be accompanied by limited motions, and an inability to function normally.
Seeking Disability Benefits
It’s unfortunate, but gout is not listed as an automatic qualifying condition on the SSA’s list of disabling conditions. It is, however, listed as an associated condition with inflammatory arthritis. This means if your doctor diagnoses you with the latter illness, you can apply under that listing.
Otherwise, it means that you will need to demonstrate that your symptoms are severe enough to limit your daily functioning to the point where you are unable to hold down gainful employment for at least a period of 12 months. If your symptoms don’t respond to diet and medication treatments, you may be able to apply. It can be difficult to get approved since gout symptoms tend to be intermittent rather than persistent, but if you can combine with another medical condition, the chance of being approved for benefits increases.
Working with a Los Angeles Disability Benefits Lawyer
Because gout isn’t a specifically listed condition, pursuing benefits for the condition can be tricky, especially if it’s not associated with another illness. Your best shot at getting the benefits you need for your disability resides with seeking help from a disability benefits lawyer. We’ve been helping disabled individuals in the Greater Los Angeles area, the Inland Empire, and Orange County get the disability benefits they need for years. Call Dr. Bill LaTour and his team today at 800-803-5090 or fill out our online form to schedule a free consultation.
