How to Qualify for Disability Benefits with Deep Vein Thrombosis

Deep vein thrombosis, or DVT, is when a thrombus, or blood clot, develops deep in your veins.

Most often DVT will occur in a leg vein. When the clot develops, it restricts blood flow to the affected area and causes pain or swelling.

DVTs are especially dangerous because the clot can disengage and move to other parts of your body, causing an embolism or a stroke.

While people who suffer from deep vein thrombosis are at increased risk of a more serious health condition, it can be difficult to win Social Security Disability compensation based on DVT alone.

Many cases of thrombosis can be successfully treated before the minimum time required to establish disability by the Social Security Administration (SSA). All qualifying disabilities must last or be expected to last for at least 12 months, and you must demonstrate that the symptoms of your impairment prevent you from sustaining full-time competitive employment on a consistent and reliable basis.

However, you may qualify for Social Security Disability Insurance SSDI or Supplemental Security Income SSI disability benefits if you have severe complications from your DVT.

One common complication is chronic venous insufficiency (CVI), a condition that disrupts the blood flow in the legs. Swollen veins in the lower extremities can prevent proper circulation or even cause blood to flow backward. This can result in pain and swelling, and it can prevent a person from sitting, standing or walking for prolonged periods.

To determine if you are medically eligible for disability benefits, Social Security has a set of procedures in place. These procedures are published in a handbook known as the “Blue Book,” and it includes a list of various disabling conditions known as “listings.”

Unfortunately, there is no specific listing for deep vein thrombosis in the Blue Book. However, CVI is listed in the Blue Book in section 4.11.

The Social Security Administration may approve you for disability benefits for CVI if you have a medical diagnosis of your condition and continually experience one or more of the following symptoms:

• Edema, such as fluid retention in the legs that results in severe swelling, thickening of the skin, and discoloration of the tissues
• Cellulitis, or scaling of the skin on the legs that often results in burning, itching or cramping
• Skin ulcers (open wounds) that refuse to heal, are regularly recurring, or persistently reopen over the course of at least three months

If your condition doesn’t exactly meet the Blue Book standards, there’s another way to qualify.

You may be eligible for Social Security Disability benefits if you can prove that, due to the limitations of your condition, you are unable to perform any job in the national economy, considering your age, education and past work

To prove that your impairment prevents you from maintaining full-time employment, you must start with a diagnosis from a doctor’s exam.

But a diagnosis alone is not enough to qualify you for benefits. Your doctor should document your symptoms and limitations over multiple visits and provide a written explanation of how your medical conditions limit your ability to work.

This is usually done using a form called the “Residual Functional Capacity” (RFC) form. The RFC form is separate from the medical records and helps your doctor explain your limitations.

To decide whether you qualify for Social Security Disability benefits, the SSA will consider the RFC form along with other medical evidence such as the results from vascular ultrasounds and blood tests. Your medical records and test results are key to winning compensation.

If you have other impairments in addition to CVI, you should also include these in your application for benefits. The SSA must take into consideration all your impairments when deciding whether you qualify for disability benefits.

For more on this subject, read our blog article: Do Multiple Disabilities Improve the Odds of Receiving Benefits?

Also, if you have a disabling medical condition that has made it impossible for you to hold a job, contact the Chicago disability lawyers at Nash Disability Law for a free evaluation of your situation and options for getting financial relief.

Our disability attorneys can help you navigate the complex SSA disability claims process and guide you on the best path forward. We have offices in Chicago and Palos Hills and we can help you avoid costly disability mistakes.