Is Having One Kidney Considered A Disability

Can I Continue Working

If you’re well enough, you can keep working for as long as you feel able.

Talk to your employer as soon as you feel your condition is affecting your ability to do your job so you can find a solution that suits both of you. For example, it may be possible for you to work part-time.

The Disability Discrimination Act 1995 requires employers to make reasonable adjustments to help a person with a disability.

This might, where possible, include changing or modifying tasks, altering work patterns, installing special equipment, allowing time off to attend appointments, or helping with travel to work.

What Are The Side Effects Of Living With One Kidney

Most people with a single kidney live a normal life without developing any long- or short-term problems. However, the risk of developing mild high blood pressure, fluid retention, and proteinuria is slightly higher if you have one kidney instead of two.

Is Kidney Failure A Permanent Disability To Ssa

The Social Security Administration can evaluate your claim for disability benefits under 6.02 Impairment of Renal Function . This listing requires your renal disease to last or be expected to last for at least 12 months and you require dialysis, kidney transplant or you have persistent elevation of your creatinine levels with accompanying symptoms.

If you meet this listing you are very ill. Many people with chronic kidney disease are unable to work before they meet this listing. Even if you do not meet this listing, you may still be found disabled based on the combination of your symptoms from your kidney disease or on the SSA Grid Rules if you are over 50 years old.

In my practice, chronic kidney disease approaching the final stage is considered disabling while a claimant in the early stages of kidney disease can have significantly more difficulty being approved for benefits by SSA. There also seems to be an assumption by SSA that one year after a kidney transplant a claimant can return to work .

If you are unable to work due to your chronic kidney disease, file a claim for disability benefits as soon as possible.

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Cancer And Your Ability To Perform Physical Labor

Most forms of cancer can cause severe pain and fatigue, which can make it impossible to perform physical work. Additionally, many of the treatments used to fight cancer can cause debilitating symptoms which hinder physical activity. Assuming you dont have a form of cancer which qualifies you for a compassionate allowance, the extent and severity of your cancers impact on your ability to perform physical tasks will be considered in determining if you are qualified for Social Security Disability benefits.

Generally speaking, in order to qualify for Social Security disability benefits, your cancer must be expected to last at least one year or to end in your death. Additionally, your cancer symptoms must prohibit you from performing any job which you have performed in the past 15 years or for which the SSA determines you could reasonably be trained. This includes jobs of all levels of physical exertion, including light physical work . Make sure that all physical limitations are clearly detailed in terms of what you can and cannot do on your Social Security Disability application. Having a Social Security Disability attorney help you fill out your claim or appeal improves your chances of having your claim accepted by the SSAs adjudicators.

Medical Conditions That Qualify For Disability Benefits

You may be wondering what are the medical conditions that qualify for disability? And is my diagnosis on that list? We give a list of medical conditions below, but as you will learn, any medical condition can potentially qualify for disability benefits. The focus is always on the extent of the disability caused by your medical condition. And whether the extent of your disability meets the requirements for various disability benefits plans and programs. This article lists common disabling conditions. I then review the eligibility criteria for the most common disability benefits. So, you can know if your medical condition can qualify for benefits.

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Risk Factors And Complications Associated With Kidney Disease

Most treating doctors will monitor your kidney function during routine checkups. Sometimes kidney failure results from an underlying genetic condition, and sometimes its related to poor lifestyle choices or a traumatic accident. The following risk factors can increase the likelihood that you will develop kidney disease:

• Diabetes, either Type 1 or 2
• Inflammation around the kidneys caused by autoimmune conditions
• High blood pressure
• Habitual kidney and urinary tract infections
• Urine backup into your kidney
• Abnormal kidney development/structure

Kidney damage leading to chronic kidney disease and in turn kidney failure is often related to obesity, smoking, and overuse of aspirin and certain pain relievers.

Your kidneys can heal themselves to a certain extent. For example, a puncture wound to the outer wall of a kidney may scar and heal. However, if the delicate nephrons that make up your kidneys sustain damage because of kidney disease, they will not regenerate. Your nephrons actually filter the blood in your body, removing toxins. Each kidney contains more than one-million nephrons, so that you can function with a minor loss.

Severe damage to your nephrons will render your kidneys all but useless, leaving you with the following complications from kidney disease and kidney failure:

When Do Cancer Patients Qualify For Social Security Disability

There are many different types of that can limit a persons ability to provide for themselves. If a persons illness or health issues prevent them from working and earning an income, they may be able to receive . Cancer is a disease that can significantly affect a persons health and well-being. In addition to suffering from the effects of the disease, treatment such as surgery or chemotherapy can impact a persons condition and contribute to their disabilities. Those who have been diagnosed with cancer will want to determine whether their condition will qualify them for Social Security disability. With the assistance of an attorney, they can ensure that they follow the correct steps when applying for disability benefits.

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How Does Eating Diet And Nutrition Affect A Solitary Kidney

If you have a solitary kidney, you do not need to eat a special diet. However, you can keep your kidneys healthy by staying well hydrated, not taking too much salt, and not gaining excessive weight. If you have reduced kidney function, you may need to make changes to your diet to slow your kidney disease progression. Work with your health care professional or a registered dietitian to develop a meal plan that includes foods you enjoy eating while maintaining your kidney health.

Acute Vs Chronic Kidney Failure

Kidney failure can be acute or chronic . Acute renal failure can be caused by a drop in blood flow to the kidneys, damage from medications/infections/toxins or a blockage. Acute kidney failure can cause you to stop urinating and have swelling in your extremities. Acute renal failure is treated various ways but usually the underlying cause of kidney failure is the focus of treatment . Most people recover from acute kidney failure, but there may be permanent kidney damage that results in chronic renal disease. Via the Mayo Clinic .

Chronic renal disease reduces kidney function over time and can result in the need for dialysis or kidney transplant depending on its severity. Severe chronic kidney disease causes electrolyte imbalance and edema as waste accumulates in the body. The final stage of chronic kidney disease is called end-stage renal disease. Via Medline Plus .

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Getting A Diagnosis: Testing For Kidney Disease

If the presence of kidney problems is suspected, the physician will most likely start out with a simple urine test. A dipstick is used to measure how much protein is present in the sample. If there is more than 30mg of albumin, kidney disease has most likely set in, and further testing is done to determine how far the disease has advanced.

Further testingespecially if the individual is diabeticincludes blood tests that measure the kidneys ability to filter the blood. The test results record blood urea nitrogen and serum creatinine levels in the blood sample. High levels of either indicate that the kidneys are unable to properly filter the wastes in the blood. Creatinine is a byproduct of the muscles metabolism of energy. BUN is a waste product formed in the liver when protein is metabolized into its component parts . BUN is released by the liver and carried to the kidneys, where it is filtered out of the bloodstream.

Blood tests may also include the glomerular filtration rate , which the physician can calculate based on the creatinine test, age, body size, ethnicity and gender. Specifically, it estimates how much blood passes through the glomeruli each minute. If the GFR is low, the kidneys are not working as well as they should. The various stages of kidney disease are based on the GFR of the individual.

What are considered to be normal kidney test results?

Evidence Required If You Qualify Pursuant To Section 600

The Social Security Administration requires the following evidence to determine whether a person qualifies for disability benefits pursuant to Section 6.00:

• Reports from clinical examinations
• Treatment records, including information about your response to treatment
• Lab findings, such as serum creatinine or serum albumin levels
• Estimated glomerular filtration rate . This is an estimate of your kidneys filtering capacity.
• Kidney or bone biopsy. If you have had a kidney or bone biopsy done, a copy of the pathology report or a statement from your doctor should be submitted with your disability application.

Generally, evidence is needed for a period that covers at least 90 days.

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How Do Health Care Professionals Diagnose A Solitary Kidney

During pregnancy, a health care professional can diagnose kidney agenesis and kidney dysplasia while conducting a prenatal ultrasound. Ultrasound uses a device, called a transducer, that bounces safe, painless sound waves off the fetuss organs to create an image of their structure. Ultrasounds during pregnancy are part of routine prenatal testing.

If a fetus is diagnosed with kidney agenesis or kidney dysplasia, health care professionals may recommend additional ultrasounds before and after the birth to find out how the solitary kidney functions over time and to check for other health problems.

In an adult, health care professionals may diagnose a solitary kidney during an x-ray, ultrasound, or surgery for some other condition or injury.

Can I Get Disability Benefits For Kidney Disease

Chronic renal failure caused by kidney disease can qualify you for Social Security Disability benefits in many circumstances. It’s not important what has caused your kidney disease , just that you have symptoms of renal failure that is chronic . CRF can also be referred to as chronic kidney failure or end-stage renal disease .

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If You Take Medication Or Have Treatment For Your Disability

The legal test is that you should look at the impact of your impairment without any medication or treatment. Treatment includes things like counselling as well as medication. For example if you have arthritis and use a walking stick, think about how hard it would be for you to walk without it.

If you have a sight impairment which can be cured by wearing glasses or contact lenses, youll need to think about how your day-to-day activities are affected when youre wearing them.

Kidney Problems That Don’t Qualify For Disability

You cannot get disability benefits just because you have a single kidney only if your solitary kidney is failing and you have the symptoms we discussed above can you get can disability benefits.

Acute kidney failure, which can occur from infection, drug toxicity, or dehydration, is usually reversible and will not last twelve months, which is a requirement for getting Social Security benefits. Thus, it doesn’t qualify for disability benefits.

Non-dialysis dependent chronic kidney disease , kidney disease that does not yet require maintenance dialysis or a kidney transplant, will not qualify for disability benefits, unless your condition can qualify under the high creatine subcategory or the symptoms affecting your functional capacity subcategory.

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Other Ways To Qualify

The specific conditions listed in Section 6.00 are common genitourinary disorders that may be severe enough to prevent you from working, but they are not the only genitourinary disorders that may prevent you from working. If you have a different kidney disorder that does not meet the specific criteria of this section, you may still be eligible for benefits if:

• You are eligible pursuant to a different listing in the Listing of Impairments.
• Your condition is medically equivalent to another listing in the Listing of Impairments.
• You lack the residual functional capacity to engage in substantial gainful activity.

Only one of these three things must be true in order for you to be found eligible for Social Security disability benefits.

Cancer And Your Ability To Perform Sedentary Labor

Many who are incapable of performing physical work still qualify for sedentary work. The SSA defines sedentary work as work which requires you to sit for extended periods of time and to lift less than 10 pounds. Sedentary work often involves education, people skills, or manual dexterity. Cancer can and does often affect a sufferers ability to work with people and his or her manual dexterity. You will want to make sure that all physical and mental hindrances to employment are clearly and thoroughly mentioned in your Social Security Disability claim.

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Who Is Responsible For Finding Reasonable Accommodation

While the primary responsibility for the process of reasonable accommodation is with the employer, the employer, employee and unions all have a duty to cooperate and be reasonable in the accommodation process. It is a legal right but requires the employee to cooperate with the process.

The employee, employer and union all have an interest in achieving a resolution. Often, the best solutions are achieved when those involved cooperate with one another.

• Designing workplace requirements and standards that do not discriminate against those with a disability.
• Requesting medical information from the employees doctor concerning the employees disability-related workplace needs.
• Accommodating individuals to the point of undue hardship. The first priority is the modification of the duties and practices related to the persons present position as recommended by medical reports.
• Showing that attempts to accommodate were serious, conscientious and genuine in good faith.
• Demonstrate their best efforts in ensuring that discrimination or harassment based on disability is not permitted on the part of either the employer or by co-workers.

What Medical Conditions Qualify For Long

Most medical conditions can qualify for long-term disability. However, some long-term disability plans will exclude certain medical conditions.

Assuming you dont have an excluded condition, then you can qualify for long-term disability benefits if your medical conditions prevents you from doing your regular work. You wont qualify to apply right away. Most long-term disability plans require you to be continuously disabled for a number of weeks before you are eligible to apply. This called the waiting period or elimination period.

The most common length of the waiting period is 17 weeks, but this can be different for each disability plan.

Most long-term disability plans have a two tier requirement for disability. For the first 2 years you can qualify for benefits if your medical condition prevents you from doing your regular work.

However, after 2 years, you can only qualify for long-term disability benefits if your medical conditions prevents you from doing any gainful work .

Following is an example of a long-term disability requirement fround in a group long-term disablity plan. This is only an example and these requirements and wording vary from plan to plan.

An employee is entitled to payment of a long term disability benefit if the employee presents proof of claim acceptable that:

• the employee became disabled while covered
• total disability has continued beyond the elimination period
• the employee has been folloing appropriate treatment for the disability condition

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Who Qualifies For Ssdi

• People who have worked for a number of years and had enough money taken out of their paychecks for Social Security
• Self-employed people who paid self-employment taxes
• You must meet Social Securitys very strict definition of disability to qualify for SSDI.
• Having a low income or financial needs do not affect whether you can get SSDI.

If you get turned down for SSDI, reapply, and appeal if necessary. Many cases end up being approved after an appeal. The amount you get from SSDI will be based on how long you worked, and how much Social Security tax was taken from your pay. Once you apply for SSDI, the disability clock starts running. If your disability application is approved, you become eligible for Medicare after 24 months.

If you qualify and start getting SSDI, your spouse and any eligible children can also apply for SSDI. If you find you dont qualify for SSDI, but you are low-income and disabled, look into Supplemental Security Income . This program also can pay benefits to the disabled, but is based on your income and need.

If you have certain serious illnesses, including some types of cancer, it may take less time to be approved. The Social Security Administration can speed up their review of disability applications for people who have a diagnosis thats on their Compassionate Allowances list.

How Does Kidney Failure Impact Your Ability To Work

Kidney failure can impact your life on many levels. You may not be able to participate in activities you enjoy, travel, or do your daily activities as well as find yourself unable to work.

While you may be able to arrange things like an altered work schedule to accommodate things like doctor’s visits or dialysis, it may be difficult to get past the physical limitations of your condition

The profound pain suffered with kidney failure can make walking, lifting, carrying, grasping, or reaching impossible. Because of this, many work duties are eliminated because of your inability to perform the required tasks. The swelling and edema experienced from fluid overload syndrome can make walking impossible and require frequent repositioning that includes keeping your feet raised above heart level.

Without the ability to stand or sit long periods without repositioning, your ability to perform a multitude of work duties can be significantly impacted. Regular dialysis can impact your overall well-being and result in malaise and fatigue that makes working a regular shift virtually impossible even if you have a sedentary position. You may find yourself in a position where you are unable to groom yourself or even prepare your own meals because of the severity of the tiredness and the aches and pains you suffer.

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