How to Qualify for Disability Benefits with Polyarthritis

Polyarthritis isn’t necessarily its own individual form of arthritis. When a medical professional diagnoses a patient with polyarthritis, it means the patient experiences arthritis in at least five joints.

Such a condition can significantly limit one’s ability to perform various work-related tasks. If you have this condition and can’t work accordingly, you may qualify for disability with polyarthritis. Disability benefits from the U.S. Social Security Administration (SSA) could help you pay for such basics as food and housing.

Understanding Polyarthritis and The Criteria for Qualifying

Common symptoms of polyarthritis include:

• Pain in the affected joints
• Swelling
• Tenderness in or near the affected area
• Stiffness

These types of symptoms could limit your ability to work and earn an income. To show you’re eligible for disability with polyarthritis, you will need to demonstrate how the nature of your condition will prevent you from working for at least 12 months. You will also need to demonstrate to the SSA that your symptoms render you unable to return to jobs you may have had in the past.

Understand You Need Medical Records

To qualify for disability with polyarthritis, you will need to submit relevant medical evidence with your application. Medical evidence to gather for a disability benefits application may include (but isn’t necessarily limited to) the following:

• A complete medical history
• Relevant test results and imaging, such as x-rays
• Reports from specialists such as pain management experts, physical therapists, etc.
• An assessment from a medical professional evaluating your ability to complete work tasks
• Records showing what treatments you’ve undergone and the degree to which they have or haven’t been effective

Those are just a few examples. Depending on the circumstances, when you submit your initial application for disability benefits, the SSA might not grant an approval, instead requiring you to gather and submit additional evidence. The more thorough you are when completing an application, the better your odds of receiving an approval.

Gather Required Documents

Medical evidence isn’t the only documentation you may need to submit when applying for disability with polyarthritis. Additional documentation you might have to submit to the SSA includes:

• Birth certificate or other such proof of birth documentation
• Proof you are either a U.S. citizen or lawful alien
• Military discharge papers if you served in a branch of the U.S. military prior to 1968
• Last year’s W-2 and/or self-employment tax forms
• An Adult Disability Report offering information about your condition, work history, etc.
• Pay stubs
• Information relating to workers’ compensation settlements or other such settlements you have already received

Again, this isn’t necessarily an exhaustive list. It’s possible the SSA will request other documentation upon receiving your application.

Speak with a Disability Attorney

Showing you qualify for disability with polyarthritis can be a complex process if you attempt to navigate it on your own. Luckily, you don’t have to. A disability benefits attorney could assist you by gathering evidence and submitting a thorough application on your behalf. Get started today by taking the Free Case Evaluation to get connected with an independent lawyer who subscribes to the website and may be able to help with your case.