Can You Get Disability for Carpal Tunnel?
Many people with carpal tunnel syndrome aren’t aware that their condition could qualify them for Social Security Disability Insurance benefits, or SSDI. However, the chronic pain caused by carpal tunnel can render many people unable to work. In some cases, working can cause your condition to deteriorate even further, especially if your job relies on fine motor skills such as typing or sorting.
If your carpal tunnel syndrome impacts your ability to function daily, you have options. SSDI can provide vital monthly income to those who can no longer work because of their carpal tunnel syndrome. A knowledgeable disability benefits advocate can determine your eligibility for SSDI, help you prepare a strong claim, file an appeal if your claim is denied, represent you before an Administrative Law Judge, and if necessary, file a request for review of the ALJ hearing decision at the Appeals Council.
Can You Qualify for Disability Benefits With Carpal Tunnel Syndrome?
Carpal tunnel syndrome, or CTS, is a repetitive stress condition that causes numbness, tingling, and weakness in the hand and arm. It results from pressure on the median nerve, which runs a narrow passageway in the wrist known as the carpal tunnel. CTS can make working and performing daily tasks difficult. Many people with CTS rely on SSDI benefits for income if their condition prevents them from working.
To qualify for Social Security Disability Insurance, or SSDI, you must be insured with sufficient work credits or history plus you must have a qualifying condition that matches one listed in the Social Security Administration’s Blue Book or is found otherwise severe with limited functional capacity.
The Blue Book does not exist in its original 2008 paper format. It has been replaced online with “Disability Evaluation Under Social Security,” that describes the Listings of Impairments for Adults and Children. There is no dedicated listing for carpal tunnel syndrome. However, that doesn’t necessarily mean you’re ineligible for benefits. Under certain and severe conditions, applicants with CTS can still qualify to receive disability payments.
To qualify, you must prove that your CTS is equivalent to one listed by the SSA or has made it impossible to do the work you’ve done in the past or any other jobs.
When Does Carpal Tunnel Qualify for SSDI or SSI?
CTS is not in the Listings of Impairments, so qualifying for disability with carpal tunnel syndrome can be complicated. Depending on the symptoms you experience, CTS may be evaluated under Listing 11.14 for peripheral neuropathy or Listing 1.00 for musculoskeletal impairments.
Symptoms the SSA considers when determining eligibility include muscle weakness, nerve damage, numbness, and disorganized motor function. Your CTS symptoms must cause significant functional limitations that prevent you from working.
CTS commonly overlaps with similar diseases causing chronic pain, such as arthritis. Examining the SSA’s eligibility criteria for these conditions can give you a better idea of what to include in your SSDI application for CTS.
Proving Residual Functional Capacity Limitations
The SSA assesses your level of impairment according to a measure called Residual Functional Capacity, or RFC. RFC assessments determine how well you can function and whether you can still work despite your CTS symptoms.
Many people with CTS struggle with tasks involving fine motor control in their hands and arms, such as typing, gripping, and lifting. The chronic pain, numbness, and weakness caused by CTS can all impact a person’s ability to complete such tasks.
The inability to perform fine motor control tasks, or the ability to perform them only to a limited extent, can be grounds for the SSA to find you can no longer work. The more severely your symptoms impact your daily functioning, the more likely you are to receive a determination of eligibility for SSDI.
How To Strengthen Your Carpal Tunnel Disability Claim
Getting SSDI benefits for carpal tunnel can be difficult. The SSA requires extensive medical documentation to prove your disability claim. In addition, describing how your symptoms affect your daily activities can also be complicated, especially if your condition fluctuates from day to day or is aggravated by certain triggers. Disability Advice can help you strengthen your SSDI case and file the most compelling claim possible.
Medical Evidence You Need
All SSDI claims require significant medical evidence of the applicant’s condition. Types of medical evidence you’re likely to need to submit your SSDI application include the following:
- Diagnosis from a doctor, preferably a specialist
- Test results such as EMGs and nerve conduction studies
- Records showing unsuccessful treatments, such as splints, corticosteroid injections, pain medications, physical therapy, or surgery
Get medical evidence from qualified medical professionals, preferably specialists in a field relevant to your disability. This documentation might include reports and records from neurologists, rheumatologists, or musculoskeletal specialists.
It’s not uncommon for people seeking SSDI benefits to have been treated by several different specialists rather than a single doctor, even within the same field of medicine. Collect all records from any provider who has treated you and submit them with your application.
Work History and Functional Limitations
Your SSDI determination won’t be based exclusively on a doctor’s assessment of your condition. You’ll also need to include documentation of your work history and the functional limitations you experience due to your condition. One frequent reason SSA denies benefits is an absent or incomplete Functional Report.
Evidence of your inability to work with CTS may include the following:
- Documentation of job-related struggles such as gaps in employment, dismissal, or performance improvement plans
- Statements from past or current employers, coworkers, and family about your limitations
- A complete RFC assessment showing severe or extreme limitations in certain tasks
SSDI is subject to income limitations, but you can still work while receiving SSDI benefits under certain circumstances. You remain eligible to receive monthly disability payments if your income is less than $1,620 per month.
What if Your Carpal Tunnel Disability Claim Is Denied?
The SSA denies many SSDI claims based on carpal tunnel syndrome at the initial application stage. These denials are typically based on a lack of medical evidence supporting the applicant’s claim. It’s also not uncommon for applicants to be unsure about how to thoroughly describe their condition on paper or adequately depict the severity of their symptoms.
A denial on your initial SSDI application doesn’t necessarily mean you’re ineligible for benefits. The vast majority of applications are denied on the first try. You have the right to appeal a denial of SSDI benefits within 60 days of the receipt of your decision.
What Does the SSDI Appeal Process Look Like?
When you appeal an SSDI denial, you’ll go through a four-step process to have your claim reconsidered and possibly have your denial overturned. These steps are:
- Request for Reconsideration: An independent DDS disability examiner will reexamine your application to determine whether your denial was correct.
- Hearing With a Judge: If your reconsideration decision is also unfavorable, you can request a hearing with an Administrative Law Judge, or ALJ, at which you can provide additional evidence and present your case.
- Review of a Hearing Decision: If the ALJ does not overturn your denial, you can request a review of the decision from the SSA’s Appeals Council. The Council may remand your claim to the ALJ for a new hearing or issue a new decision.
- File a Lawsuit in Federal District Court: If the Appeals Council denies review, you can file a lawsuit to have the decision reviewed by a District Court Judge in federal court.
Reach Out for Help Appealing Your SSDI Claim
Handling the SSDI appeals process on your own can be intimidating and incredibly difficult, especially if your carpal tunnel syndrome severely impacts your daily functioning. The experienced disability advocates at Disability Advice can help you strengthen your SSDI claim and represent you before an ALJ to give your appeal the best possible chance of approval.
If you need help with an initial SSDI application for carpal tunnel syndrome, or if your application has recently been denied, Disability Advice can help. Contact us online today for a free consultation with a disability advocate.
- Free case evaluation
- Assist with denied claims
- Ensure you have all documents
- Make the process easy for you
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