The Social Security Administration Blue Book: Is This A Test?

If you are of a certain age, the term “blue book” likely brings back memories of taking an exam at a Fort Worth high school or a Texas college. But this Blue Book is different—it exists to provide you with important information about whether or not you are disabled according to the definition outlined by the Social Security Administration (SSA).

Whether You Are Disabled May Be a Trick Question

You may think you are disabled and unable to work, but you are only going to qualify as disabled and obtain Social Security disability benefits if you are disabled according to the definitions established by the SSA. The SSA Blue Book provides important information about whether you are disabled. Specifically, it includes:

• A list of the most common medical conditions that cause disability and keep people from working. The Blue Book is organized into sections for each of the major systems in the body; the illnesses or injuries that could affect that part of the body are included in that section.
• The criteria for being considered disabled for a particular medical condition or listing. The requirements may include how severe the symptoms need to be and what the medical test results need to show in order to meet the SSA’s definition of disability. These requirements can be complex and may require you to consult with your doctor to make sure the appropriate tests have been conducted.

While many disabling conditions are included in the Blue Book, others are not included. This will not necessarily prevent you from recovering Social Security disability benefits if you can establish that you qualify.

Get Graded Fairly

You want your Social Security disability application to be approved on the first try. Otherwise, your benefit payments could be delayed or denied. Accordingly, we encourage you to get all the help that you can before you file your initial Social Security disability application. You can get started today by reading our free report, Social Security Disability: What You Need to Know, or by starting a live chat with us now.

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

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