Is Asthma a Disability Eligible for Benefits in Wisconsin?
Get Help Winning Social Security Disability in Madison
It’s possible to qualify for Social Security Disability for your asthma symptoms, but it’s not going to be easy to win benefits.
Millions of Americans have asthma. Not all of them have symptoms severe enough to stop them from working—which is the rule for Social Security Disability. The variation in these cases make it difficult to get asthma disability claims approved.
The Madison disability lawyers at the Becker Law Office and Hawks Quindel can guide you through this process and help you show how your asthma makes it impossible to work and earn an income.
Some law firms will tell you to apply for disability benefits on your own, but we can assist with your claim from start to finish.
Becker Law Office has been helping people in Madison and across Wisconsin win disability benefits for decades.
Disability law is all we do.
We know what to do about difficult Social Security Disability claims with ailments like asthma that many people assume you can just work through.
Our Wisconsin disability attorneys work to give you the best chance of winning the benefits you need to get back on the path to financial stability.
Symptoms to Document for Your Asthma Disability Claim
You can’t just tell the Social Security Administration (SSA) that you have asthma symptoms that rob you of the ability to work.
To qualify for disability benefits, you need to document your symptoms and be highly specific about how your asthma affects you.
Your asthma disability claim should answer questions like:
- What kinds of symptoms, like coughing, wheezing and chest tightness, do you suffer?
- How often do you experience symptoms?
- How severe are your asthma attacks?
- How long do your asthma attacks last?
- Do you ever need to seek medical attention due to asthma attacks?
- Which treatments do you use and how well do they work?
Think about all the tasks you need to perform in a day at work and how asthma interferes. Also think about how it intrudes on your everyday life.
Do your symptoms make it harder to do chores, take care of yourself or socialize? All this information can strengthen your asthma disability claim.
In your disability application, you’ll also want to talk about other health conditions you suffer from—ailments related to your asthma, ailments that compound its impacts on your everyday functioning, and even unrelated medical issues that give you additional challenges.
Medical conditions like sleep apnea or chronic bronchitis, and mental health problems like anxiety can all interact with asthma and make your symptoms more debilitating.
Our disability lawyers are dedicated to Wisconsinites and can help you give Social Security a complete picture of your work-stopping health issues.
When Asthma Can Qualify for Social Security Disability
Showing you have asthma isn’t enough to get approved for disability benefits, even if you think you obviously have a severe case.
Social Security has a specific way of evaluating asthma disability claims and determining whether someone’s symptoms are serious enough to be work-stopping.
Your claim needs to show two things:
- An FEV1 test result of your exhaling strength that comes out less than or equal to the required value for your age, height and sex
- Asthma complications or exacerbations requiring three hospitalizations within 12 months and at least 30 days apart, with each lasting at least 48 hours
Your forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1) is measured by a spirometry test. The results of this and other tests of your breathing and blood oxygen, like pulse oximetry and DLCO tests, can also support your asthma disability claim.
If you’ve been hospitalized, have records of that organized and ready to submit when you apply for disability benefits.
Any other medical evidence, like physical exam reports, imaging results, and information about your treatments and how your asthma responded to them, can help too.
If you aren’t sure that you meet these exact asthma disability requirements, don’t despair. You may still be able to meet Social Security’s general definition of disability, which focuses on your ability to function and not just your diagnosis.
No matter what kind of ailment you’re suffering from, you need to show a claims examiner three things:
- Your health issues prevent you from working in your current job.
- You can’t switch to another job due to your age, health and other factors.
- Your health problems will continue to affect you this way for 12 months or longer.
If you’re not sure you can qualify for benefits or need help making your claim convincing, our Wisconsin Social Security Disability lawyers want to help
What if My Asthma Disability Claim Gets Denied?
Most people get denied when they first apply for disability. It’s practically a part of this process.
According to recent Social Security data, only around 35-40% of initial Wisconsin disability claims get approved.
It can be even tougher to win benefits for a health issue like asthma because claims examiners could think you can work despite your symptoms.
Don’t give up if you get denied disability benefits. Respond to the SSA within 60 days that you want to appeal.
Whether you applied on your own, worked with another lawyer, or started your application with our Madison Social Security Disability attorneys, we can help you with your appeal.
Your lawyer can:
- Take the time to understand why your claim was denied
- Identify evidence that can strengthen your asthma disability claim
- Request reconsideration within 60 days of your denial
- Prepare you for your disability hearing so you know what to expect
- Represent you at your hearing in front of an administrative law judge
- Answer your questions about Social Security Disability at any step in the process
- Ask the Social Security Appeals Council to review your case, if necessary
- File an appeal in federal court, if necessary
You won’t have to pay an attorney’s fee unless you win benefits.
It’s difficult to get disability benefits for asthma, so don’t leave your claim to just anybody.
The team at Becker Law Office has helped thousands in Madison, Janesville , Monroe, and Wausau when they needed disability benefits that could get them back on more stable ground.
We’re ready to give your disability claim the personal attention it deserves.