Pittsburgh
Sickle Cell Disease Lawyer

On This Page

1. Get Disability Benefits With Sickle Cell Disease
2. Getting Disability Based on Your Sickle Cell Diagnosis
3. Getting Benefits Without Meeting an Impairment Listing
4. Meeting the Technical Qualifications for Pittsburgh Disability
5. Let Us Appeal Your Pittsburgh Disability Denial
6. Getting Social Security Disability for Sickle Cell Disease in Pittsburgh, PA

REVIEWED BY

C. William Kenny

December 12, 2023

Board certified by National Board of Trial Advocacy

Get Disability Benefits With Sickle Cell Disease

Sickle cell disease can make it difficult to work and make ends meet. If you suffer from symptoms or complications of this disease, we are here to help you determine whether you might qualify for Social Security disability for sickle cell disease. You may be eligible for Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI), Supplemental Security Income (SSI), or both.

The Social Security disability attorneys from Berger and Green will fight to help you get the benefits you need and deserve. Let us review your claim, help you file, or appeal a denial. Call us today at 412-661-1400 for your free consultation with a member of our Pittsburgh team.

Getting Disability Based on Your Sickle Cell Diagnosis

While sickle cell disease is a qualifying impairment based on the Social Security Administration’s Blue Book, merely having the diagnosis is not enough to get benefits. The Social Security Administration (SSA) considers several factors before approving you for benefits. This includes:

• The severity of your disease
• How well treatment works for you
• The documentation in your medical records
• Your age and abilities
• Your education
• The type of jobs you previously worked

To prove your disease is severe enough to meet the impairment listing published in Section 7.05 — Hemolytic Anemias, you will need to have evidence in your medical records to prove:

• You suffered at least six painful sickle cell crises within a year; or
• You required extended hospitalization three times during one year; or
• You had a hemoglobin measurement of seven grams per deciliter or less at least three times in one year.

Depending on the symptoms that prevent you from working, you may also qualify based on another impairment listing. We recommend discussing your application with your doctor before you file your claim. Your medical records and the evidence they contain are the keys to obtaining approval for disability. Your doctor can ensure they have the proper lab results, records of your treatment, and other information.

When you bring your claim to us, the team from Berger and Green will double check to ensure you have the correct contact information for each of your medical providers. This makes it possible for the disability examiner looking into your case to get the evidence they need to prove your impairment.

Call us today at 412-661-1400 to get started.

Getting Benefits Without Meeting an Impairment Listing

In some cases, you may not meet the criteria to get disability based on an impairment listing alone. If this happens to you, but your condition prevents you from working, your residual functional capacity (RFC) may qualify you for benefits.

Your RFC is an evaluation of your abilities that tells the Office of Disability Determination Services:

• The type of work you can do;
• How often you can work; and
• How long you can work

If this evaluation finds you cannot work at your current job or in another profession you might qualify for, you may qualify for benefits.

Meeting the Technical Qualifications for Pittsburgh Disability

Proving your medical qualifications is often the most difficult part of qualifying for disability, but it is important not to overlook the technical criteria for these programs. A technical denial is still a denial, and you will still need to navigate the appeals process to get the benefits you need.

Let us review your disability claim to ensure you did not:

• Submit any incorrect information
• Leave any questions blank
• Enter the information in the wrong section
• Make other minor mistakes completing the forms

Each program also has its own technical qualifications you must meet before your local Social Security field office forwards your application to the Office of Disability Determination Services. Potential reasons for denial may include:

• Not having the required work credits for SSDI
• Having a household income too high for SSI
• Having too many assets for SSI

If you cannot work and need disability benefits to make ends meet, we can help. Let us review your SSDI and/or SSI application before you submit it. Call us today at 412-661-1400 for your free case evaluation. If you already received a denial, we can help you navigate the appeals process and fight for the benefits you need.

Let Us Appeal Your Pittsburgh Disability Denial

Only about a third of disability applications receive approval during their initial review. The SSA denies most people who file a claim. If this happened to you, it is important to note you only have 60 days to file your appeal. We recommend you act quickly, calling us as soon as you receive your disability denial notice.

When you enlist our help with your disability denial, we will:

• Request an appeals hearing on your behalf
• Investigate why the Social Security Administration (SSA) denied your claim
• Collect any necessary evidence to prove your impairment
• Build a solid case to support approval of full benefits and back pay
• Represent you during your hearing
• Argue in favor of overturning your denial

In many cases, applicants who received a denial during their initial claim review get approved during their appeals hearing. We will fight for the full benefits you deserve, in addition to back pay and retroactive pay. We handle these cases based on contingency, so we do not get paid unless we secure disability benefits for you.

Getting Social Security Disability for Sickle Cell Disease in Pittsburgh, PA

If you cannot work because of your sickle cell disease, the team from Berger and Green is here to help. We will fight for the Social Security disability benefits you deserve, reviewing your claim before you file, helping you apply, or navigating the appeals process on your behalf.

If you suffer from an impairment caused by an accident, we will also review your situation to determine if you can recover additional compensation through a personal injury lawsuit. Let us evaluate your case and explain your legal options.

Call our Pittsburgh office today at 412-661-1400 to get started.