IS CHARCOT-MARIE-TOOTH CONSIDERED A DISABILITY BY SOCIAL SECURITY?



Why is Charcot-marie-tooth not on the Social Security Disability list of impairments?



 
I have charcot marie tooth disease...it is a form of muscular dystrophy and rare....that damages and kills my nervous system so to speak...I have pain all over, back pain...fatigue...Just feel like energy is drained right out of me and feel lifeless...It causes muscle cramps..My legs and hands...also in my hands I have tremors, drop things frequently....My legs sometimes feel heavy to pick up..I wear leg braces...not only do I get weakness throughout my body but my hands can get where I can't button or pick up a coffee cup without using two hands...I feel feverish at times but no fever...can't stand without hurting more within ten minutes... some days I just lay in my bed and cry because I'm so miserable with it all....not to mention I have other health issues like depression ....I also feel like I'm starting to lose some hearing which can come from the chariot maire tooth..so my question to you is why is this disease not on the disability disease list? How do I go about trying to get this disease added and recognized as a true disabling disease?



Your disabling condition, Charcot-Marie-Tooth Disease (Charcot-marie-tooth disease and Filing for Disability), sounds very difficult to deal with on a day to day basis. Your condition is one of the most common of inherited neurological disorders; if fact, it affects 1 in 2500 people in the United States.

While Social Security does not have a specific listing for every medical condition, both physical and mental conditions are grouped by body system in the SSA list of disabling medical conditions.



Social Security Disability determinations are based upon residual functional ability (what you are able to do in spite of the limitations imposed upon you by your disability condition) rather than specific impairments. That said, your condition is evaluated largely on the basis of neurological limitations and Social Security evaluates Charcot-Marie-Tooth under the criteria listed for neurological impairments.

I do not know your age but younger individuals (under 55) have a harder time being approved for disability.

You stated that you filed for disability two times, but did you appeal your disability claim denial? If you are not approved at the initial disability claim level, you need to use the Social Security Disability appeal process to get your disability claim before an administrative law judge. That is your best chance of being approved; however if you never appeal your disability claim denial, you will never get there.

For more information, see the article titled: How does the Social Security Disability Appeal Process work?.

I hope this information helps you with your next disability claim.


About the Author: Tim Moore is a former Social Security Disability Examiner in North Carolina, has been interviewed by the NY Times and the LA Times on the disability system, and is an Accredited Disability Representative (ADR) in North Carolina. For assistance on a disability application or Appeal in NC, click here.







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