Rheumatoid Arthritis: How Will Social Security Administration Evaluate Your Disability Claim?

When applying for Social Security Disability benefits, it is imperative to be regular and consistent in the medical documentation of your case. A Social Security attorney may help guide as to how the information from your records translates to the criteria and evaluation of your condition by the Social Security Administration (SSA). This article will discuss the criteria that relates to Rheumatoid Arthritis.
Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a long-term disease that leads to inflammation of the joints and surrounding tissues. It can also affect other organs. RA usually affects joints on both sides of the body equally. Wrists, fingers, knees, feet, and ankles are the most commonly affected. The course and the severity of the illness can vary considerably.
Depending on the severity of your RA and how it specifically impairs your ability to work, you may be successful on your claim if you meet the criteria stipulated in the in Listing 14.09 of the SSA Listings of Impairments:
Inflammatory arthritis (14.09).
a. General. The spectrum of inflammatory arthritis includes a vast array of disorders that differ in cause, course, and outcome. Clinically, inflammation of major peripheral joints may be the dominant manifestation causing difficulties with ambulation or fine and gross movements; there may be joint pain, swelling, and tenderness. The arthritis may affect other joints, or cause less limitation in ambulation or the performance of fine and gross movements. However, in combination with extra-articular features, including constitutional symptoms or signs (severe fatigue, fever, malaise, involuntary weight loss), inflammatory arthritis may result in an extreme limitation.
Barring the severe manifestations of your RA as described in the listing, your evaluator and Social Security Attorney may present at case based on how SSA evaluates pain and resulting limitations.
The Standard of "Pain"
In 1984, Congress passed the Social Security Disability Benefits Reform Act, which defined the standard of judgment on pain. It stated that:
…an individual's statement as to pain or other symptoms shall not alone be conclusive evidence of disability as defined in this section; there must be medical signs and findings established by medically acceptable clinical or laboratory diagnostic techniques which show the existence of a medical impairment that results from anatomical, physiological or psychological abnormalities which could reasonably be expected to produce the pain or other symptoms alleged.
Though this act had an expiration date of 1986, it became the standard of judgment. In 1988, Social Security ruled there need not be objective evidence of the degree of pain.
Several factors are used in the standard judgment of pain including:
• the nature of the pain
• locations
• onset
• duration
• frequency
• radiation
• pain intensity

Other factors that must be considered in determining proof of pain include: what causes the pain and makes it worse name, dosage, effectiveness, and side effects of pain medications treatment for pain relief other than medications functional restrictions daily activities.
In order to get more personal advice on the merit and strength of your claim for Social Security Disability Benefits, please contact an experienced Social Security attorney.



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