Pittsburgh Bone Spurs Disability Lawyer

Get Disability Benefits For Bone Spurs

Bone spurs are typically more irritating than disabling, but some people suffer symptoms severe enough to prevent them from working and earning a living. If you have severe bone spurs and cannot work a Pittsburgh job, you may qualify for Social Security Disability benefits. This may include Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) or Supplemental Security Income (SSI).

The disability attorneys from Berger and Green can help you prepare and file your initial claim or fight a denial of Social Security disability for bone spurs benefits. Call us today at 412-661-1400 for your free case review and to get started as soon as possible.

Meeting Social Security’s Definition of “Disabled”

To get disability benefits from the Social Security Administration, you need to prove you suffer from a qualifying impairment and meet all other qualifications. Often, proving you have a disability that prevents you from working is the most difficult part.

The agency publishes a list of potentially qualifying impairments. This book, known as the Blue Book, outlines the criteria you must meet to get approved for disability based on your diagnosis and symptoms. Unfortunately, there is not a listing that specifically applies to bone spurs. Instead, you will need to consider the listings that apply to your symptoms.

When bone spurs are severe, they may cause a wide range of symptoms including:

• Weakness in the arms, legs, hands, and feet.
• Numbness in and around the affected part of the body.
• Severe back or neck pain.
• Severe pain when walking or using hands.
• Restricted mobility because of pain and limited range of motion.

Some of the most common impairment listings that may apply to bone spurs include:

• Section 1.02 – Major Dysfunction of a Joint
• Section 1.04 – Disorders of the Spine

To get approved for benefits based on one of these impairment listings, you will need to ensure your medical records contain the required evidence listed in the impairment listing. We can double-check the contact information for all your doctors and other care providers before we help you file your claim. This is how the Office of Disability Determination Services will gain access to your medical records.

You Can Still Get Benefits Without Meeting an Impairment Listing

If your medical evidence does not show you meet the criteria under an impairment listing, you may still be able to qualify for disability based on your residual functional capacity (RFC). When the Office of Disability Determination Services considers your RFC, it looks at the total effect of your condition instead of a single impairment.

An RFC assessment seeks to learn more about your remaining abilities. This assessment considers:

• Your training and work experience.
• The type of work you can do.
• How long you can work.
• How often you can work.

If the disability examiner finds you cannot work any job you might qualify for, you will likely get approved for benefits. The Social Security Administration will likely also approve you if you can work but need special accommodations.

There are three ways the Office of Disability Determination Services can assess your RFC:

• A doctor from the agency can use your medical records and related evidence.
• Your doctor can complete the assessment.
• They can ask you to see a third-party doctor for a consultative exam.

Do Not Overlook the Importance of the Technical Qualifications

In addition to proving you suffer from a qualifying impairment, you will need to meet the technical qualifications of either Social Security Disability Insurance or Supplemental Security Income. Each program has its own technical criteria, and if you do not meet it, you will receive a technical denial.

The local Social Security field office in Pittsburgh will review your technical qualifications before they forward your application to the Office of Disability Determination Services. If you do not meet the technical qualifications, a disability examiner will never see your medical evidence.

Some technical qualifications include:

• Earn less than the substantial gainful activity limit for SSDI.
• Earn enough work credits for SSDI.
• Earn recent work credits for SSDI.
• Have income and assets below the current SSI limits.

Let Us Take on Your Pittsburgh Bone Spurs Disability Appeal

If the Social Security Administration denied your Social Security disability for bone spurs  claim, the Berger and Green team is here to help. We can handle your appeal and navigate this complicated process for you. If there is sufficient time to do so, we will request your appeal hearing and get the process started. While we wait for the date of your hearing to arrive, we will:

• Answer all your questions and concerns about your case.
• Investigate the cause of the disability denial.
• Collect evidence and build a strong case for reversing the denial.

While it may take a year or more from the time of your denial, when the date of your hearing arrives, you can count on us to:

• Represent you before the Administrative Law Judge.
• Present the case we built.
• Argue for your monthly benefits and full back pay.

We can also take on almost any viable personal injury case in Pittsburgh. This may allow us to recover additional money for you and your family. Our founding partner Laurence B. Green has fought for the rights of personal injury victims for more than four decades. Let us review your case. Call us today: 412-661-1400.

Getting Social Security Disability for Bone Spurs in Pittsburgh, PA

If you suffer from bone spurs that prevent you from working and making ends meet at home, the team of disability attorneys from Berger and Green is here to help. We can help you prepare your claim and file for Social Security Disability or navigate the appeals process after a denial.

Call or text our Pittsburgh office today at 412-661-1400 for a free review of your case.