People with COPD, or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, may experience shortness of breath and other breathing difficulties. Routine physical activities, such as caring for themselves and walking, become a struggle and could prevent them from continuing to work and earn a living.
Social Security disability for COPD provides monthly benefits to ease the financial burden caused by being unable to work. However, the COPD disability approval process could take several months or longer to complete.
How long for COPD disability applications to be processed and approved depends on a variety of factors. This article explains the application review process and what applicants can do to avoid delays. If you have questions, contact the disability benefits team at Sackett and Associates for advice and representation.
COPD overview
Chronic bronchitis and emphysema are other names for COPD, a chronic pulmonary disease causing breathing difficulties. Causes of the disease include:
- Smoking
- Prolonged exposure to chemical fumes, air pollution, and other lung irritants.
- A rare genetic condition.
Common symptoms of the disease include:
- Persistent cough
- Excess mucus
- Wheezing
- shortness of breath
- Inability to breathe deeply
Doctors use a combination of a person’s medical history, reported symptoms, and pulmonary function tests to diagnose COPD.
Treatment for COPD, including medications and pulmonary rehabilitation, may improve the symptoms. However, there is currently no cure for the disease.
Social Security Disability Insurance Benefits For COPD
You must be disabled according to a standard used by the Social Security Administration to be approved for COPD SSDI benefits. Medical evidence must prove that you are unable to do substantial gainful work activities because of a medically determinable physical or mental impairment that is expected to result in death, or is expected to last or has lasted for at least 12 months.
The Social Security Administration uses the following five-step sequential process to evaluate disability benefit claims, including those based on COPD:
- Work Activity: The first step in the process reviews your current work activity to determine whether you are doing substantial gainful work activity. If you are, then you are not disabled.
- Duration: You must have a disability that has lasted or is expected to last for at least one year, or it must be expected to result in death. Social Security does not pay disability benefits for temporary or short-term conditions. Claims that pass the duration standard move on to the third step in the evaluation process.
- Medical Severity: Social Security uses a listing of impairments to determine if a physical or mental health condition is severe and meets the disability definition. A person with a claim based on a condition that meets a listed impairment would be considered disabled under the definition. If a person does not have a condition that meets a listed impairment, the process continues to the next step.
- Past Relevant Work: Does your COPD prevent you from doing work that you did in the past? If it does, then the evaluation continues.
- Other Types of Work: The limitations imposed by COPD, your age, education, and work experience are taken into consideration to determine your ability to adjust to doing other types of currently available work. You could be approved for disability for COPD if you cannot do jobs you held in the past or adjust to doing other types of available work.
Seeking the advice and representation of a Sackett Law disability lawyer with years of experience makes navigating the disability review process less burdensome for you. If the result does not turn out in your favor, Sackett Law challenges it through the appeal process.
How long does it take for COPD disability approval?
The COPD disability approval time from when you apply until you receive a decision takes about 6 to 8 months. It takes longer when you appeal a denial of benefits. For example, processing a request to appeal your claim to the hearing level takes about 278 days.
There are things that you can do to avoid unnecessary delays in the process of your claim for disability for COPD, including:
- Take your time filling out the application to avoid mistakes, omissions, and inconsistencies.
- Do not ignore Social Security requests for information after applying.
- Gather and submit your medical documentation with the application instead of relying on your doctors to do it.
- Monitor the status of the claim after you apply.
- Seek representation by a disability lawyer.
A disability lawyer knows the process will do what it takes to reduce delays.
Contact Sackett Law
Sackett and Associates has been assisting people with COPD and other disabling medical conditions navigate the Social Security disability system for more than 45 years. From preparation of the application through the appeal process, the dedicated team at Sackett Law strives to get people the benefits they need and deserve. Contact Sackett Law today for a free consultation and claim evaluation.
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