Is Deafness a Disability for People Seeking SSD Benefits in Michigan & Ohio?

Hearing loss makes communication with coworkers or customers challenging. Depending on your line of work, not being able to hear well could make your job more dangerous.

Being specific about how your deafness prevents you from working is important on your disability benefits claim. The obstacles people face with different levels of hearing loss differ greatly.

The SSA uses a guide people call its “Blue Book,” which is a list of impairments that prevent people from working, to evaluate disability claims like yours.

This Blue Book has specific criteria for applicants seeking disability benefits due to deafness.

An applicant needs to show one of the following:

• An average air conduction hearing threshold of 90 decibels or greater in the better ear AND an average bone conduction hearing threshold of 60 decibels or greater in the better ear

OR

• A word recognition score of 40 percent or less in the better ear

There are also ways to receive disability benefits if you use a cochlear implant.

You can qualify if:

• You’ve had surgery for a cochlear implant within the last year.

OR

• You’ve had a cochlear implant for at least a year and a word recognition score of 60% or below.

The SSA focuses on your better ear when they do these tests because they don’t consider hearing loss a qualifying disability if you can hear well enough to function at work in at least one ear.

You could be entirely deaf in one ear but still be denied disability benefits if the hearing in your other ear is good.

If you’re unsure about whether deafness can qualify you for benefits, ask our Michigan disability lawyers.

Another key part of your disability claim for hearing loss is your “residual functional capacity,” or RFC.

This is a component of all disability claims. It measures what someone could still do despite the limitations they face because of their impairments.

The SSA divides different types of work into categories like sedentary, light, medium and heavy. Then they can look at a disability applicant and determine what kind of work they can do.

For someone who works a highly physical job, Social Security could acknowledge they have a health impairment but determine that working a more sedentary job is within their capabilities.

If an examiner thinks you can do another job, your claim will get denied.

You need to be able to show that you can’t do any job at all, even with accommodation. Having evidence to back up your deafness disability claim is important.

Medical records, evidence of work disruptions, and statements from coworkers, employers, and loved ones who have seen your struggles firsthand all help.

Our Detroit disability attorneys can help you build a case and show Social Security that you’re unable to work at any job, not just your current one.

Getting your disability claim denied is a normal part of this process. Most people get denied on their initial applications for benefits.

The good news is that you get the chance to appeal. With a condition like deafness, appealing is an important chance to add evidence and arguments to your claim. If you didn’t have lawyer help with your initial application, now’s a good time to talk to one.

The appeals process is more than just filling out paperwork. It’s much more technical, with hearings, tight deadlines, and the need to identify legal errors.

A Michigan disability lawyer can support you through all stages of the appeals process, including:

Reconsideration: The first step of your appeal is asking Social Security to have another examiner look at your deafness disability claim. Many still get denied benefits at this stage.

Disability hearing: This hearing in front of an administrative law judge is often your best chance to win benefits. You can personally explain your struggles with hearing loss and working.

Appeals Council: If you don’t win benefits after a hearing, you can ask the Appeals Council at Social Security to review the judge’s decision.

Filing a lawsuit: The last option is filing a lawsuit in Federal Court.

It can take a long time to win benefits. Most wait months, or years, and have to go through at least one or two stages of appeals to get approved.

The disability lawyers of Levine Benjamin know how stressful this can be, which is why we work hard to give you the best chance of winning the disability benefits you deserve.

If your deafness interferes with your ability to work, we want to help you secure financial relief.