Is Obesity a Disability? Michigan Lawyers on Getting SSD Benefits.
Being obese or morbidly obese can hinder your daily activities and make it impossible to work. If you can no longer work because of severe effects of obesity, Social Security Disability benefits could offset some of that lost income.
Disability benefits provide monthly income support when you can’t work, access to health care coverage, and the chance to focus on your health with less stress.
But is obesity a disability in the eyes of the Social Security Disability program?
Technically, no. On its own, obesity isn’t officially an impairment that qualifies for disability benefits.
But obesity—defined as having a body mass index (BMI) of 30 or more, or morbid obesity, having a BMI of 40 or greater—can be a part of a successful disability benefits application when it joins with other health conditions and complications to leave you unable to work.
Your disability benefits claim will need to show how your obesity is a symptom or contributing factor in other ailments that Social Security considers disabling. You’ll also need to show how your obesity limits your day-to-day functioning.
Getting financial relief for obesity is difficult partly because it’s so common—over 40 percent of U.S. adults have it, meaning 100 million people, said the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Millions continue working, so they don’t qualify for benefits.
Most people are initially denied benefits when they apply. You’ll have to show how your case is different. Often, you can win benefits with help from an experienced Social Security Disability lawyer.
Levine Benjamin Law Firm has been helping people in Detroit, Grand Rapids, Lansing, Saginaw, Traverse City, Flint, Toledo, South Bend and Elkhart for over 60 years.
- We win more disability benefits for our clients, according to Social Security numbers, than any other firm in Michigan, Ohio or Indiana.
- We’ve helped thousands of people and know how to approach a disability claim for obesity.
- You can work with us from home by phone, text or email and don’t have to come to our office in the Detroit area.
It’s important to know that you pay no fee for a disability attorney until you win benefits.
From applying to appealing, we help you every step of the way.
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APPLYING FOR SOCIAL SECURITY DISABILITY FOR OBESITY
There’s no magic number for your weight or BMI that will determine your eligibility for benefits.
Instead, the decision will be based largely on a review of your medical records.
When you apply for disability benefits for obesity, you’ll need to provide this information:
- Names of doctors or other medical providers who have treated you for obesity
- Any other medical conditions you have
- Medical records showing your doctor’s office visits
- Records of tests your doctors ordered to diagnose your condition
- Notes from physical therapy sessions, if applicable
- Any other relevant information.
You’ll also need to provide information about your job history, training and experience.
The Social Security Administration (SSA) will consider this information along with your medical information.
It will look at how obesity limits you from performing the basic functions needed in a job, such as standing, sitting, stooping, bending, lifting, carrying, pushing, and the ability to work with your hands.
If the SSA finds that your obesity is a “severe” impairment that significantly limits your ability to do basic activities, it may determine that obesity alone is grounds for approving your claim for disability benefits.
HOW CAN OBESITY QUALIFY YOU FOR DISABILITY ALONG WITH OTHER CONDITIONS?
Even if Social Security decides your obesity doesn’t count as a “disability,” obesity can qualify you for disability benefits based on other impairments where obesity is a symptom or aggravating factor.
Obesity often goes along with other health conditions.
You can base your disability claim on medical conditions like these, which may include obesity:
- Asthma
- Back pain
- Cancer
- Cardiovascular disease
- Chronic fatigue syndrome
- Depression
- Diabetes
- Lung impairments
- Musculoskeletal diseases
- Osteoarthritis
- Strokes
For every health problem you include in your disability claim, you’ll need substantial medical evidence to support that your case is severely debilitating.
And when you’re trying to prove to Social Security that your obesity is a disability, you’ll need to break down how it affects your everyday movements, such as sitting, standing, walking, lifting and other physical tasks.
Your doctor will take a measure of these functions in a report called your “residual functional capacity,” or RFC.
Your disability attorney will guide you in getting the right documentation and ultimately getting Social Security Disability for obesity.
Is Obesity Considered a Disability? It Can Be with the Right Help for Your Claim.
The application and appeals processes for obesity disability benefits is time-consuming, confusing and difficult to navigate on your own.
The good news is that people who use professional representation when they apply for Social Security disability benefits have been shown to have a greater chance of winning benefits.
At Levine Benjamin Law Firm, we’ve helped more than 80,000 people win benefits since 1964.
We’ve helped many people with obesity and other physical and mental disabilities win the disability benefits they’re entitled to receive.
If you want to learn more about whether obesity is considered a disability in your case, and how you can win financial relief and greater stability in life from Social Security Disability benefits, contact Levine Benjamin today.