Can I Get Social Security Disability for Chronic Liver Disease?

If you have been diagnosed with chronic liver disease and are unable to work in any capacity, you may qualify for Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) or Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits.

Social Security Listing 5.05

Social Security has included chronic liver disease in its Blue Book of disability listings. However, just receiving the diagnosis from a doctor is not enough to be considered disabled because often patients with chronic liver disease often experience different symptoms at different levels of severity.

Social Security considers applications for disability based on chronic liver disease under Listing 5.05. To meet this listing, you must be diagnosed with chronic liver disease and meet one of seven other requirements, listed below.

1. Hemorrhaging from esophageal, gastric, or ectopic varices or from portal hypertensive gastropathy, as demonstrated on imaging. The hemorrhaging must result in hemodynamic instability and require hospitalization for at least two units of blood in a blood transfusion.
2. Ascites or hydrothorax not attributable to other causes, despite adhering to prescribed treatment. The ascites or hydrothorax must be present on at least two medical evaluations that are performed at least sixty days apart within a six-month period. Each of those evaluations must be documented by:
   1. Paracentesis or thoracentesis;
   2. Imaging and either a serum albumin of 3.0 g/dL or less or an Internalized Normalized Ratio (INR) of at least 1.5.
3. Spontaneous bacterial peritonitis with peritoneal fluid containing an absolute neutrophil count of at least 250 cells/mm3.
4. Hepatorenal syndrome with either:
   1. Serum creatinine elevation of at least 2 mg/dL, or
   2. Oliguria with 24-hour urine output less than 500 mL, or
   3. Sodium retention with urine sodium less than 10 mEq per liter.
5. Hepatopulmonary syndrome with documentation of intrapulmonary arteriovenous shunting by contrast-enhanced echocardiogram or macroaggregated albumin lung perfusion scan and PaO2 on room air of:
   1. 60 mm Hg or less at 3000 feet above sea level, or
   2. 55 mm Hg or less between 3000 and 6000 feet above sea level, or
   3. 50 mm Hg or less at 6000 feet above sea level (or higher).
6. Hepatic encephalopathy with documentation of abnormal behavior, cognitive dysfunction, changes in mental status, or altered state of consciousness present on at least two evaluations at least sixty days apart within a six-month period. You must also have either a history of transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt (TIPS) or other surgical portosystemic shunt or one of the following occurring on at least two evaluations at least sixty days apart in the same six-month period as above:
   1. Fluctuating physical neurological abnormalities (such as asterixis),
   2. An EEG demonstrating triphasic slow wave activity,
   3. Serum albumin of 3.0 g/dL or less, or
   4. INR of 1.5 or higher.
7. End stage liver disease scored 22 or higher using the SSA Chronic Liver Disease (SSA CLD) calculation.

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 liver disease, 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 been diagnosed with chronic liver disease and are unable to work in any capacity due to your physical condition, contact a local attorney today. An attorney can help answer your questions or help you apply for disability.