Liver Disease Case Strategies

Individuals filing for social security disability and SSI on the basis of liver disease mainly have two routes for approval:

1) Satisfying the requirements of the listing for liver disease found at Listing 5.05 or;

2) Being awarded a medical vocational allowance. This is a type of approval that involves the evaluation of a claimant’s work history and medical history so that a determination can be made as to whether or not the claimant is capable of performing what social security considers to be substantial and gainful work activity.

This second route for winning benefits in a liver disease case is also often referred to as winning by using the functional capacity argument. The strategy essentially involves showing how the symptoms of your liver disease keep you from being able to work. So even if your illness is not severe enough to meet the listing, you can still win based on your argument that you cannot work based on your illness.

Any individual filing on the basis of a non-listed impairment will need a medical vocational allowance to be approved. Not all physical and mental impairments are included in the social security listing of impairments. Fortunately, liver disease is featured and may potentially be approved by satisfying the requirements of the listing.

To apply for social security disabilities or SSI, visit:

http://www.socialsecurity.gov/applyfordisability/adult.htm