Social Security Disability Listings – Considerable Conditions

There are conditions that are so disabling that they prevent a person from able to be gainfully employed and independent. Given below are the Social Security Disability listings of conditions that are considered to be severe enough that a person will be qualified for Social Security Disability benefits. 

Social Security Disability – Listings of Impairments

The listing of impairments is divided into major body systems. Under each system is the description of impairments that are considered serious enough to disable a person badly enough that he or she cannot carry out any gainful activity. For children under the age of 18, the list describes impairments that are severe enough to cause severe functional limitations.

The impairments listed are either long-term or will eventually result in death. If they are not so severe, then these impairments will also have a time line mentioned against them – how long are they expected to last on average.

For all other impairments listed, the claimant must prove that his or her disability will last or has already lasted 12 months. 

The Blue Book – Social Security Disability Listings

The Social Security Blue Book lists out the impairments or disabilities that impact a person enough to qualify for Social Security Disability. The Blue Book is also called the “Disability Evaluation Under Social Security”. 

The book is segregated into Adult and Childhood listings of disabling conditions. The book also has general information about each of the conditions and also tells you what evidence you need to present for each impairment.

For the Social Security Disability Adult Listings (Part A), you can see the updated list here. For the Social Security Disability Childhood Listings (Part B), you can see the updated list here. Medical conditions listed in Part A can also apply to children.

This Blue Book list was updated new Mental Disorders and new Immune System Disorders listings on January 17, 2017.

The Blue Book is regularly updated to include new conditions online, however, the hard copy was last printed in 2011.

The Disability Determination Services (DDS) use the Blue Book regularly to check whether an application’s disability meets the SSA’s conditions. Most of the time, if the applicant’s condition meets the conditions listed in the Blue Book, the person is awarded benefits.

Compassionate Allowances Listings

Over and above the Blue Book listings, you can qualify for Social Security Disability benefits if you suffer from one of the more than 200 disabling conditions listed in the Compassionate Allowances Listings.

The Social Security Administration launched the Compassionate Allowances program in 2008 for those people whose conditions were so severe that they needed disability help as soon as possible. If a person’s condition fit the guidelines laid out the by Compassionate Allowances program, then his or her claim could be approved in a matter of just weeks.

It needs to be understood that the guidelines in the Social Security Disability Listings of Impairment are just that – guidelines. If your condition fits the guidelines mentioned in the listings, it is sufficient to establish that you are disable and cannot work. However, this does not mean that if your condition is not listed here, then you are not disabled. These listings are a work in progress and are continuously updated as more information comes to light thanks to advances in medical sciences. So, in case your condition is not a part of the listing, do not be disheartened, there are other criteria that are also looked at.