Can I Get Social Security Disability if I Have Carpal Tunnel Syndrome?

There are many types of impairments that can affect a person’s ability to maintain gainful employment. A person who has experienced an injury that makes it difficult or impossible to perform work-related activities may qualify for disability benefits through Social Security, including Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) or Supplemental Security Income (SSI). Carpal tunnel syndrome is one issue that can affect people in multiple industries, including those who regularly type on computers or people such as auto mechanics who use their hands to complete work-related tasks. Those who have experienced these types of repetitive stress injuries can take the correct steps to apply for Social Security disability benefits by working with an attorney who is experienced in these types of cases.

Is Carpal Tunnel Syndrome Considered a Disability?

To qualify for SSD benefits, an applicant must meet a number of requirements, including showing that their health conditions have lasted or are expected to last for at least one year. A person must be unemployed or working at a level below substantial gainful activity. An applicant will also need to provide medical evidence showing that their condition is severe enough to be considered a disability.

A person will usually qualify for disability if their condition is defined in Social Security’s Listing of Impairments. However, carpal tunnel syndrome is not included in this listing. To prove that they are disabled, a person will either need to show that their condition is equivalent to a condition in the listing, or they must demonstrate that carpal tunnel syndrome has made it impossible for them to do work they had done in the past or find other jobs.

Depending on the severity of a person’s symptoms and whether they are related to other health issues, a person may be able to show that their carpal tunnel syndrome is equivalent to one of the following listings:

• Peripheral neuropathy - This condition involves nerve damage that affects a person’s ability to use their extremities. Carpal tunnel syndrome may meet the requirements of this listing if it interferes with a person’s ability to move their hands, wrists, or fingers on both arms. A person must show that their condition has led to extreme limitations of the ability to carry out work-related activities, such as not being able to pinch or manipulate objects with the fingers. A person’s condition may also qualify as a disability if it has resulted in a “marked” limitation in physical functioning and the ability to maintain concentration and pace while working.

• Inflammatory arthritis - If carpal tunnel syndrome has led to an inflammation of the joints in a person’s wrists, hands, or fingers, this condition may qualify as a disability if it has persistently affected both of a person’s wrists/hands. The inflammation must be severe enough to prevent the person from beginning or sustaining work-related activities involving either fine motor or gross motor skills.

Contact Our Dallas County SSD Application Attorneys for Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

If carpal tunnel syndrome has caused you to be unable to work and earn a sufficient income, The Law Offices of Coats & Todd will work with you to determine whether you qualify for Social Security disability benefits. We make sure you provide the correct information in a disability application, and if your disability claim is denied, we can help you file an appeal. Contact our Plano SSD claim lawyers by calling our office at 972-671-9922 and setting up a free consultation.

Sources:

https://www.ssa.gov/disability/professionals/bluebook/11.00-Neurological-Adult.htm#11_14

https://www.ssa.gov/disability/professionals/bluebook/14.00-Immune-Adult.htm#14_09