Disability Benefits for Knee Pain

An individual can experience knee pain due to a number of reasons which may be medical or traumatic. Some of the medical causes for knee pain are conditions like osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, a tear of a meniscus, or a torn cartilage; while traumatic causes of knee pain may be a motor vehicle crash where the knee hits the steering wheel or the dashboard forcefully causing it to break. A slip and fall on the knee may also result in substantial knee pain. In some cases, an individual has to undergo knee replacement as the condition of the knee is beyond repair and there is no other solution for Knee Pain relief.

The knee is the largest weightbearing joint in the body and thus is more prone to frequent injuries than any other joint in the body. Fractures or torn meniscus or ligaments are some of the serious injuries which can be quite disabling to the level that an individual will be unable to walk and carry out activities of daily living or perform effectively at work.

Now, coming to the question of whether an individual can get Disability Benefits due to Knee Pain is something which is quite complicated and requires a lot of documentation and reports. Whatever may have been the cause of the knee pain be it osteoarthritis, a torn meniscus, or a knee replacement surgery, the few thing that SSA will look into will be about the functional limitations caused due to knee pain, how long is the claimant able to stand and walk, will the claimant need assistive device, can the knee pain be treated or controlled using medication, physical therapy and other treatment modalities, is your condition going to be long lasting or expected to last for 12 months etc.

To begin with, the SSA will compile all the medical records of the patient which will include records right from the date of injury till the present date including all progress notes where the SSA will see whether the claimant has been diligent in following up with the physician and whether he or she has been compliant with all the recommendations made by the physician in terms of medication use, physical therapy, and exercises for the knee. The claimant will also be evaluated by a physician appointed by the SSA who will do a thorough evaluation of whether the claimant is able to walk or stand without assistance and evaluate the degree of damage to the knee. The SSA will also look at all the radiographic studies done for the claimant in the form of x-rays, CT scans, and MRIs. Once it is proved beyond doubt that the claimant is not in a position to be gainfully employed because of Knee Pain due to the functional limitations caused due to it then disability benefits for knee pain will be granted to the claimant. But, it is not easy to win disability benefits just on the basis of having knee pain.

SSA refers to the Listing of Impairments. Knee pain falls under the Section 1.00: the musculoskeletal system. Under Section 1.00, either of the following conditions might be relevant to your knee issue:

• 1.02 — Major dysfunction of a joint- due due to any cause, and should present with all of the following:
  • Anatomical deformity.
  • Chronic pain or stiffness in the joint which limits the range of motion.
  • Inability to ambulate and move about effectively.
• 1.03 — Reconstructive surgery or surgical arthrodesis of a major weight-bearing joint. In either case, by SSA standards you should be unable to ambulate effectively, and additionally, your walking ability should not be expected to return within 12 months.

Not everyone with knee pain is likely to receive disability benefits. If you are unsure about your limitations being severe enough for you to meet the listing and qualify for disability benefits for knee pain then you must hire an experienced social security disability attorney. An SSD attorney can prepare and present your case in the best possible way so that disability benefit is granted. An experienced SSD attorney would have significant knowledge as to what the judge might require of the claimant during the hearing and what are the other relevant information that needs to be furnished in front of the judge at the time of hearing to win a disability claim for knee pain. It should be noted here that an SSD attorney gets paid only after the claimant has been granted disability benefit, thus the attorney does all he or she can to get the claimant disability benefits

In summary, an individual with persistent knee pain caused due to any condition whether it be medical or traumatic for at least a period of one year to the point where the claimant is not able to be gainfully employed to any significant degree and has enough credible evidence supporting his or her claim needs to work in close relationship with his or her treating physician and an experienced SSD attorney so as to get qualified for Social Security Disability Benefits due to Knee Pain.