Filing for Disability with a Knee Injury in NC
If you have a job that requires you to be on your feet a lot, a knee injury can be devastating. From sales to construction, numerous professions are no longer available to employees who suffer from knee pain, stiffness, injury, or illness. Furthermore, even if you don’t have a physically taxing job but are in too much pain to make it to the office every day, you will see your ability to work taken away after suffering damage to one or both knees.
However, you don’t have to despair – having a knee injury qualifies you to file for SSDI, or Social Security Disability Insurance, a federal program that entitles you to receive compensation if you are unable to work as a result of your injury. The key to receiving SSDI benefits is to know how to work the system; as most claims, and then appeals, are denied, it’s important to have your SSDI lawyer in North Carolina at your side to file the appropriate paperwork, gather evidence, and argue your case in court.
But what exactly qualifies you to file for SSDI? The Social Security Administration (SSA) defines a knee injury, or musculoskeletal impairment, as one that is “characterized by gross anatomical deformity” or “chronic joint pain and stiffness”. Your knee must show “signs of limitation of motion”, meaning that you aren’t able to move around as easily as you could before your injury; furthermore, all medical claims must be supported by relevant documents from any and all physicians, hospitals, clinics, treatment centers, or specialists that you have seen or been treated at for the duration of your condition.
In order to be classified as a disability, furthermore, you have to have had the condition for at least one year prior to filing your claim. The condition must have restricted your ability to work or earn income at the level you were earning previously, or otherwise had an adverse effect upon your daily life or ability to carry out the activities of everyday living.
Do you feel that you fit these criteria? Your next step is to contact your SSDI lawyer in North Carolina so that you can work together to file a claim at your local SSA location. You will help your lawyer help you by providing details of your condition and access to medical records that can be used as evidence. Your attorney will then work to support your claim, in court if necessary.
