Call Now! (607) 283-2053
Osteoarthritis is one of the most common joint conditions people face as they get older. Years of physical work, repetitive motion, walking and lifting on the job, or previous injuries, can make it worse.
For many people in Upstate New York, osteoarthritis can make it too difficult to keep working, whether your job requires standing all day, using your hands constantly, or even sitting for long periods.
If your health problems have forced you out of the workforce, you may be able to receive Social Security Disability benefits.
But can you get disability for osteoarthritis? Benefits can be life-changing, but qualifying for benefits is difficult. If you applied and received a denial, you can appeal and still win benefits.
At the Lachman & Gorton Law Office, our Upstate New York disability lawyers help people in Binghamton, Elmira, Rochester and across the region appeal to get disability for osteoarthritis.
We can guide you through the process when you’re too overwhelmed to face it alone.
You don’t pay a disability lawyer fee until you win benefits and financial relief.
Osteoarthritis can qualify for disability when your symptoms are strong enough to keep you from working full time.
However, because this condition is so common, Social Security will not approve benefits unless you can show that your case is more serious than the typical aches and pains many people picture when they think of arthritis.
One of the first things Social Security looks for is proof of joint damage.
This usually comes from X-rays, MRIs, or other imaging tests. These tests can show cartilage loss, narrowing joint space, bone spurs, or problems in major joints that support your weight. Imaging helps explain the physical cause of your pain and stiffness.
Social Security also wants to understand how your osteoarthritis affects you at work.
It is not enough to say you have pain. They need to see how it changes what you can do day to day.
You might have trouble standing or walking, climbing stairs, bending, or lifting items. Many people also struggle with using their hands for tasks like typing, gripping or reaching.
If your pain forces you to take breaks or makes it hard to keep a steady pace, that is important information for your Social Security Disability claim. These limits often matter more than the diagnosis itself.
In some cases, osteoarthritis is severe enough to meet one of Social Security’s listings of impairments for disability benefits.
These listings cover major joint problems, spine issues with nerve pain, or chronic joint damage that affects how you move. Whether you meet a listing depends on your imaging, your medical exams, and how much function you have lost.
Even if you do not meet a listing, you can still qualify for disability by showing that your symptoms keep you from working.
Social Security calls this your residual functional capacity, or RFC. They look at your age, your education, your work history, and your medical limits to decide what kind of work, if any, you could still do.
If you’re unsure how to get Social Security to approve disability benefits for osteoarthritis in your particular case, our New York Social Security Disability lawyers can help you understand it.
It costs nothing for you to have a conversation with us to see what your next steps could be.
Get a FREE osteoarthritis disability claim review from Lachman & Gorton.
Seeking disability benefits with osteoarthritis means gathering strong, consistent evidence that proves your joints can’t handle a full workday anymore.
Here’s what you can do:
1. Gather All Medical Records
You’ll need:
Social Security will not approve you without solid medical proof.
2. Document Your Daily Struggles
Make notes of things like:
This helps show Social Security how your condition affects everyday tasks.
3. Follow the Disability Claim Steps
The disability process is long and filled with technical requirements:
Most people are denied at least once.
Having an experienced disability lawyer can make a difference in your chances of winning benefits.
When you’re living with osteoarthritis and can no longer work, getting disability benefits including monthly income support and Medicare access takes a huge burden off your shoulders.
Because the government doesn’t make it easy, Lachman & Gorton helps you:
You deserve support to protect your rights and help you stay afloat.
If joint pain, stiffness or mobility problems have pushed you out of your job, don’t try to take on the disability system alone.
Lachman & Gorton stands with people across Upstate New York when their health takes away their livelihood. We’re here to help you move forward.