Respiratory illnesses and Social Security disability benefits

Breathing is something that North Carolina residents may take for granted. For most people, their bodies take control of respiration and handle the important task of feeding their bodies with oxygen while they are awake and while they are asleep. For others, though, respiratory illnesses deprive them of the ability to forget about their breathing and the important purpose that it serves.

The Social Security Administration recognizes many respiratory illnesses and disorders as potentially disabling. For example, cystic fibrosis, a genetic disorder that can cause lung infections, breathing issues, and in some cases, death, is recognized as a potentially disabling respiratory condition. Asthma, a condition that narrows breathing airways and causes extra mucus to form in the body, can also disable a person if it is severe.

As with other illnesses and diseases, respiratory disorders must be assessed in order to determine if they meet the Social Security Administration’s definition of disability. An individual who seek disability benefits based on a respiratory condition may have to submit medical documentation of their illness, how long they have had it, and what treatments they have tried to find solutions or cures to their condition.

A serious respiratory illness may keep a person out of work permanently and may deny them the opportunity to hold down a job with which they may support themselves and their family. Getting timely help can make a difference in how soon a person is able to begin receiving the disability benefits that they need. Attorneys who work in the disability benefits law field may be consulted by individuals who are struggling to get by due to their respiratory disorders.