A significant number of Americans have heart issues. When the heart has difficulty maintaining a steady, regular rhythm on its own it is a serious health problem. A pacemaker offers a potential solution. As described by the Mayo Clinic, a pacemaker is a “small device that’s placed under the skin in your chest to help control your heartbeat.”
You may want to know: Am I entitled to receive Social Security disability benefits if I have a pacemaker? The short answer is that you are not automatically guaranteed SSDI or SSI benefits, but your pacemaker may be evidence of a disability. In this blog post, our Arkansas Social Security disability lawyers provide a brief guide to pacemakers, heart diseases, and SSDI claims.
Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) and Pacemakers
To get Social Security disability benefits, an applicant must prove that they meet the legal, financial and medical requirements. If you have a pacemaker, you may or may not be disabled depending on the specifics of your health condition. Here are three key things that you should know about pacemakers and SSDI claims:
- Not a Qualifying Condition By Itself: As a starting point, it is important to emphasize that you cannot automatically qualify for Social Security disability benefits simply because you have had a pacemaker installed. If you have no active symptoms and few (or no) restrictions, you are unlikely to qualify for disability benefits.
- Could Be Used as Evidence to Support a Disability Claim: A pacemaker is evidence of heart disease/heart issues. By itself, being diagnosed with heart disease is not necessary to prove a disability. However, if your condition is severe enough, that it limits you from being able to return to work, then you may be eligible for Social Security disability benefits.
- Medical Evidence is Essential in any SSDI or SSI Claim: When you file an SSDI claim or an SSI claim, the Social Security Administration (SSA) will take a close look at the medical evidence provided. Claims examiners will need to see more than just the existence of a pacemaker—they will need to see comprehensive medical documentation that proves that your underlying disability (a heart problem) prevents you from working on a full-time basis.
SSDI claims are notoriously complicated. If you recently got a pacemaker, and you are no longer able to work because of your health condition, you may be entitled to receive SSDI or SSI benefits. An experienced Arkansas Social Security disability lawyer can help you navigate the claims process.
Call Our Arkansas SSDI Attorneys for a Free Consultation
At Gallo Cazort & Co. Law Firm, our Arkansas Social Security disability lawyers always go above and beyond to provide our clients with exceptional, fully personalized representation. If you have any questions about pacemakers, heart disease, and SSDI benefits, we are here to help. Contact us right away for your no-cost, no-commitment case evaluation. With a legal office in Rogers, we handle Social Security disability claims throughout all of Northwest Arkansas, Eastern Oklahoma, Missouri, and Kansas.