Diabetes

Definition

Diabetes is a disease in which the body does not produce or properly use insulin. Insulin is a hormone that is needed to convert sugar, starches and other food into energy needed for daily life. The cause of diabetes continues to be a mystery, although both genetics and environmental factors such as obesity and lack of exercise appear to play roles.

Are you seeking representation to receive the Social security benefits you deserve? If so, please contact our Social security lawyers regarding your social security benefits claim today!

Types of Diabetes and the Symptoms

There are two major types of diabetes, Type 1 and Type 2. Type results from the body's failure to produce insulin. Type 2 results from insulin resistance (a condition in which the body fails to properly use insulin), combined with relative insulin deficiency.

Symptoms of Diabetes include frequent urination, excessive thirst, extreme hunger, unusual weight loss, increased fatigue, irritability, and blurry vision. To learn more about Diabetes, see the American Diabetes Association website at www.diabetes.org/home.jsp.

How Many are affected

There are 20.8 million children and adults in the United States, or 7% of the population, who have diabetes. While an estimated 14.6 million have been diagnosed with diabetes, unfortunately, 6.2 million people (or nearly one-third) are unaware that they have the disease.

Social Security Benefits

If your diabetes is uncontrolled, it can effect your daily living activities and prevent you from working. Social Security will provide benefits for those that meet a criteria for diabetes. For example, if your condition causes any of the following, you may qualify for benefits:

Retinopathy: significant visual impairment
Neuropathy: disorganization of the use of hands, finders, legs or feet
Acidosis: increased acidity of the blood plasma, occurring once every 2 months and documented by blood tests

Are you seeking representation to receive the Social security benefits you deserve? If so, please contact our Social security lawyers regarding your social security benefits claim today!

Social Security Process

Social Security evaluates each person's claim for benefits using the following five steps:

Are you working?
If you are working in 2006 and your earnings average more than $860 a month, you generally cannot be considered disabled. If your back injury prevents you from working, SSA goes to Step 2.
Is your condition "severe"?
Your back injury interferes with basic work-related activities, you claim will be considered. If it does not, we will find that you are not disabled. If your condition does interfere with basic work-related activities, SSA goes to Step 3.
Is your condition found in the list of disabling conditions?
For each of the major body systems, we maintain a list of medical conditions that are so severe they automatically mean that you are disabled. Some back conditions that appear on this list are stenosis, degenerative disc disease, lumbar back pain with positive straight leg raising tests, and nerve root compression. If your back condition is not on the list, SSA will have to decide if it is of equal severity to a medical condition that is on the list. If it is, SSA will find that you are disabled. If it is not, we then go to Step 4.
Can you do the work you did previously?
If your condition is severe but not at the same or equal level of severity as a medical condition on the list, then SSA must determine if the back pain interferes with your ability to do the work you did previously. If it does not, your claim will be denied. If it does, we proceed to Step 5.
Can you do any other type of work?
If you cannot do the work you did in the past, we see if you are able to adjust to other work. We consider your medical conditions and your age, education, past work experience and any transferable skills you may have. If you cannot adjust to other work, your claim