If you have been dealing with hip pain and are unable to work, you may qualify for Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) or Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits. Once you submit your application for disability, Social Security will evaluate your condition and medical records in accordance with the listings found in the Blue Book.
Social Security Listing
Social Security evaluates hip pain under listing 1.02. To meet the listing found in the Blue Book, you must have medical records and imaging results (x-ray, CT, MRI) that show joint space narrowing, bony destruction, or ankylosis of the hip. In addition, the medical records must a gross anatomical deformity (such as subluxation, contracture, bony or fibrous ankylosis, or instability) and chronic joint pain and stiffness in addition to signs of a limited range of motion or other abnormal motion of the hip.
You must also have an inability to ambulate effectively. This means that you must have an extreme limitation in your ability to walk, and you generally must have insufficient functioning of your leg(s) such that you cannot walk independently without the use of a hand-held assistive device (such as a cane or walker) that limits the use of both of your arms.
I Don’t Meet a Listing!
If you don’t meet the listing, you still may qualify for SSDI or SSI benefits. In this case, you will need medical records that show that you will be unable to work for at least twelve months, based on your condition, symptoms, medication side effects, or treatment schedule.
To prove your case, you will need the imaging reports taken of your hip; a detailed history of your treatments (including any operative reports and physical therapy notes); and information on the types of medication you take for the hip pain.
If you have been diagnosed with hip pain and are unable to work due to your condition, contact a local attorney today if you have any questions.