Ordinary skin problems like itches or rashes prove irritating but easily treatable. But there are skin disorders with a more severe impact and are harder to treat. Suffering a chemical burn or a skin disease could prevent you from earning an income to live on. If your skin disorder proves disabling, you might look at Social Security Disability as an option for support.
Social Security has certain criteria it uses to determine the severity of skin disorders so they can qualify applicants for disability benefits. Knowing these requirements may help you figure out if your condition qualifies and how to prepare your case that you need disability.
Skin lesions
Your skin disorder may involve skin lesions on different areas of your body. Social Security will evaluate whether these lesions create very serious limitations for you. Skin lesions on your feet may make it hard for you to walk. Skin lesions on your hand palms can rob you of the ability to perform fine work or hold objects. Social Security will also determine your eligibility by whether your lesions limit at least two of your extremities.
Flare ups
In the event you do not have skin lesions that fit Social Security’s requirements, you might be eligible for disability if your condition flares up on a frequent basis. You may not have skin lesions that impair you at the moment, but your condition might flare up and create disabling lesions for a period of time. If these flare ups stop you from doing gainful activity continuously for 12 months, Social Security may qualify you for benefits.
Symptoms such as pain
Your skin disorder might not fit the aforementioned requirements but it still proves disabling for you. There are different symptoms that might impair you from conducting gainful activity such as continous pain. Social Security will examine how your symptoms impact your life to see if you qualify. So even if your skin disorder differs from more common conditions, there is still the chance that Social Security will cover you.
