The Social Security Administration follows federal regulations when deciding your disability benefits claim. If your medical problem meets certain criteria, you may be approved under what the regulations call Listings.
Listings are medical conditions that are severe enough to warrant an approval. For example, many people with lower back problems have nerve root impingement and pain that radiates down one or both legs (radiculopathy). If supportive imaging studies and examination findings are also present, they may meet musculoskeletal Listing 1.04A. Meeting a Listing means that you match the criteria.
Listing 1.04A reads as follows:
1.04 Disorders of the spine (e.g., herniated nucleus pulposus, spinal arachnoiditis, spinal stenosis, osteoarthritis, degenerative disc disease, facet arthritis, vertebral fracture), resulting in compromise of a nerve root (including the cauda equina) or the spinal cord. With:
A. Evidence of nerve root compression characterized by neuro-anatomic distribution of pain, limitation of motion of the spine, motor loss (atrophy with associated muscle weakness or muscle weakness) accompanied by sensory or reflex loss and, if there is involvement of the lower back, positive straight-leg raising test (sitting and supine)…
You do not need to meet a Listing to be approved for Social Security benefits, but approvals are easier when you do. At Hoglund Law Offices, we review all potential clients to determine if a Listing may apply. We argue many different Listings for our clients.
The best way to understand these Listings is to browse through them. Listings for adults and children are divided into different classifications. A very useful link to review these listings is: http://www.severe.net/listings.html
If you choose our law firm to help you with your Social Security claim, you may wish to ask one of our attorneys if a certain Listing applies to you.
Andrew Kinney, Esq.
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