Protect Your Social Security Disability Benefits If You Have a Disabling Heart Valve Condition

You haven’t had a heart attack yet. However, you have a heart valve condition that has significantly affected your health. Common heart valve conditions include:

• Valvular stenosis which occurs when the opening to the valve is narrowed. This makes the heart work harder to pump blood through the valves.
• Valvular insufficiency which is also called regurgitation or leaky valve. This occurs when the valve doesn’t close the right way and some blood goes back into the valve.

Symptoms of a heart valve problem can include shortness of breath, weakness, dizziness, chest discomfort, rapid weight gain, swelling, or heart palpitations. If you have a disabling heart valve condition and you are unable to do your job, you might be eligible for Social Security disability benefits.

Some People With Heart Valve Conditions Will Qualify for Social Security Disability

As with other cardiovascular conditions, there are two ways to qualify for Social Security disability if you have a heart valve disease. Specifically, you can qualify if the Social Security Administration (SSA) finds that you:

• Meet the requirements of a disability listing. While there is no listing for heart valve conditions, some patients with heart valve issues qualify under listings for other heart conditions. You should consider whether you qualify under any of the listings in Section 4 of the Listing of Impairments.
• Cannot engage in substantial gainful employment and otherwise qualify for Social Security disability benefits. The SSA will consider your residual functional capacity and whether you can do regular work given your physical limitations.

Regardless of how you qualify, you must prove your eligibility to the SSA by completing a truthful and accurate Social Security disability application.

This Is Too Important to Do Alone

The majority of Social Security disability applications are denied. In order to recover benefits, you are going to need to have your application approved. It can save you time, money, and unnecessary financial suffering to get your application right the first time and to avoid having to file a Social Security disability appeal. For those reasons, our Social Security disability lawyers are here to help you from the time you decide to apply for benefits. To learn more, please contact us at any time via this website or by phone at 800-800-6353.

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

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