Can I Get Social Security Disability After a Heart Transplant?
If you have recently undergone a heart transplant and are unable to return to work, you may qualify for Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) or Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits.
Social Security Listing 4.09
Social Security understands that undergoing a heart transplant often comes with risk and may result in additional impairments to your body. The agency considers applications for disability due to a heart transplant under Listing 4.09. This listing is relatively easy to meet, as it just requires you to undergo a heart transplant. Social Security will consider you disabled for one year following your surgery.
If after one year, you continue to have residual impairments and are unable to return to work in any capacity, Social Security will then evaluate your residual impairments. Some of the potential ongoing impairments include: bone fractures, chronic heart failure, kidney problems, and lymphoma. The residual impairments are considered separately from the transplant surgery itself.
I Don’t Meet the Listing!
If you do not meet the listing, you may still qualify for SSDI or SSI benefits. To prove that you are disabled and unable to work, you will need medical evidence that shows the severity of your impairment. Social Security will need reliable medical evidence from your doctors to show them that your condition limits you and prevents you from working.
Unfortunately, one of the most common reasons for a denial is not enough medical evidence. It is important that you keep a log of all doctors, hospitals, and clinics you have seen for your respiratory failure, including any inpatient stays or hospitalizations.
If you do not meet the listing, Social Security will consider your residual functional capacity (RFC). Your RFC outlines your job restrictions and will be used to determine if you can go back to your past work. Your RFC is also used to determine whether there is other work available for you.
Jacksonville Social Security Disability Attorney
If you have had a heart transplant and are unable to return to work in any capacity, contact a local attorney today. An attorney can help answer your questions or help you apply for disability.