Can I Get SSD Benefits Because I Have Crohn’s Disease?

On This Page

1. What Is Crohn’s Disease?
2. SSA Requires Your Medical Evidence to Show the Severity of Chron’s Disease
3. How the SSA Determines If Crohn’s Disease Too Severe for You to Keep Working
4. What SSD Benefits Can I Get for Crohn’s Disease?
5. A Social Security Disability Attorney Can Complete and File Your Benefits Claim
6. Call Us About Your Crohn’s Disease Social Security Disability Claim – Free Consultation

REVIEWED BY

C. William Kenny

February 02, 2024

Board certified by National Board of Trial Advocacy

If you have Crohn’s disease, you can get Social Security Disability (SSD) benefits if the condition affects your ability to work. The Social Security Administration (SSA) classifies the condition under Section 5.00 Digestive Disorders and considers it a disability.

Call us today for your free case review with our Pittsburgh Social Security Disability Lawyer.

What Is Crohn’s Disease?

Crohn’s disease is a chronic illness that causes inflammation in the gastrointestinal (GI) tract. According to the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK), doctors are unsure what causes it but list autoimmune reactions and genes as possible reasons. Common symptoms of the inflammatory bowel disease include:

• Diarrhea
• Abdominal pain and cramping
• Weight loss

SSA Requires Your Medical Evidence to Show the Severity of Chron’s Disease

The SSA requires disability benefits applicants to submit medical evidence to prove their impairment and how severe it is. You must submit proof that a medical professional has evaluated, examined, or treated you for Crohn’s disease. Copies of any documents from medical care facilities, including hospitals, can support your claim.

What Does Your Medical Evidence Have to Show?

You must prove your symptoms are so chronic and so severe and functionally limiting that you will be unable to work for at least a year. Crohn’s disease is a condition that gets better and worse over time. If that’s your experience with the disease, it must be so disruptive that you couldn’t be expected to work for a year. 

To prove how much the condition affects your everyday life, you should keep every doctor’s appointment and tell your medical providers about the symptoms and problems you experience. Your doctor can run medical tests to document the severity of your condition. These tests can also show how your symptoms align with those of severe Crohn’s disease. This is one reason it’s important to work with a doctor on your Social Security benefits case.

They can provide the medical evidence the SSA requires and explain the severity of your condition and how it affects your life. They can also provide other information to support your case, such as:

• Your medical history before and after your Crohn’s disease diagnosis
• The medications you take and therapies you receive for the inflammatory bowel disorder
• Your assigned treatment and progress with each one

How the SSA Determines If Crohn’s Disease Too Severe for You to Keep Working

You must meet strict criteria and definition of a disability to receive Social Security income for Crohn’s disease. You must prove either of the following:

• Your disability is so severe that it keeps you from working, and you expect to have this impairment for at least a year (12 months). 

Or

• You expect to have Crohn’s disease for at least a year (12 months) or that it will likely lead to your death.

If you cannot work at or above the annual substantial gainful activity (SGA) limit for at least a year (12 months), you could receive monthly benefits. The SGA income in 2024 is $1,550 a month ($2,590 a month for blind individuals).

What SSD Benefits Can I Get for Crohn’s Disease?

SSA will first determine if you meet your disability, work history, and income qualify you for Social Security Disability compensation. If you meet the requirements, you could qualify for either Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) or Supplemental Security Income (SSI). You could qualify for both at the same time.  

SSDI is for people who have earned work credits through their previous work history, while SSI is for people with limited income and resources. SSI eligibility does not depend on work credits. 

Both programs require you to complete and file separate initial applications. You could receive approval for one but not the other or receive claim denials for both. You can appeal a denied claim, and an attorney can help you.

A Social Security Disability Attorney Can Complete and File Your Benefits Claim

Thousands of people apply for Social Security Disability benefits every year, and many will soon find that the process can be overwhelming, complex, and time-consuming. Most will also receive a denial letter in the mail, which commonly happens during the initial stage. 

According to the Social Security Office of Retirement and Disability Policy report, nearly seven in 10 initial SSD applications receive denials. Fortunately, a claim denial is not the end of the road for disability benefits claims. If you have applied for benefits and have received your denial letter, you have 60 days to file an appeal. You should promptly contact an attorney or law firm to start the process.  

How a Lawyer Can Help You With a Crohn’s Disease Disability Benefits Claim

Once you hire a Social Security Disability lawyer to lead your benefits case, they will handle everything for you from start to finish. 

• They will explain how the process works and ensure you understand what is going on with your disability application. They will also make complex topics easier to understand.
• They will gather case-supporting medical evidence and other documentation to prove to the SSA that your medical condition meets the SSA’s definition of a disability.
• They will fill out, complete, and submit your application. Having a legal professional manage your application can help you avoid errors and ensure the proper officials can access your medical records.
• After a claim denial, an attorney can represent you during the appeals process. This includes submitting evidence that supports your claim and attending your hearing before an Administrative Law Judge (ALJ).

Your Social Security Disability benefits lawyer will answer your questions and concerns throughout the process and communicate with you clearly and frequently to ensure you know about all case developments, big or small. 

They will develop a strategy that addresses the specifics of your case and protect your rights and interests.

Call Us About Your Crohn’s Disease Social Security Disability Claim – Free Consultation

If you are living with Crohn’s disease that interferes with your daily life, including your ability to work and remain gainfully employed, you could qualify to receive Social Security Disability or SSI benefits. Berger and Green’s attorneys are ready to explain your options and how we could complete and file your disability benefits application.

If you have applied for benefits and SSA denied your claim, we can review the situation and advise you further. Call us today for your free consultation. We work on a contingency fee basis and can handle your case without requiring an upfront payment. We only get paid if you recover benefits.