Do I Have To Show The Limitations Caused By My Congestive Heart Failure To Qualify For Disability Benefits?

As a victim of congestive heart failure, you may find yourself needing financial assistance. Heart disease can make it difficult or impossible to earn a living. Fortunately, the Social Security Administration recognizes chronic heart failure as a disability. Obtaining benefits requires that you demonstrate certain symptoms as well as functional limitations caused by the condition.

Functional Limitations of Congestive Heart Failure

To qualify for benefits, you first must submit medical records that show evidence of either systolic or diastolic heart failure. Once you overcome this hurdle, your next step is to show that the heard condition creates certain functional limitations. You must prove at least one of the following:

• You are unable to perform on an exercise tolerance test at certain workload equivalent because of the difficulties caused by your condition.
• Performing an exercise tolerance test is too risky due to your heart condition, and symptoms of heart failure are so persistent that they seriously limit your activities of daily living.
• Over the past 12 months, you have experienced at least three episodes of heart failure and fluid retention that required you to seek emergency room treatment for at least 12 hours.

Heart disease is a condition that affects many people throughout Texas on a minute-by-minute basis. Since the problem is so widespread, we urge you to share this article with your friends and family on Facebook today. You may help one of your loved ones to obtain the disability benefits that they need.

by Paul B. Burkhalter
Managing Partner of Morgan & Weisbrod, Board Certified in Social Security Disability Law.

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