Social Security Disability & SSI Benefits: Venous Insufficiency

Winning Your Venous Insufficiency Case

To be successful in a venous insufficiency Social Security disability and SSI benefits case, you must satisfy two criteria. First, satisfy the Non-Medical Criteria. Second, you satisfy the Disability Criteria.

Satisfying the disability criteria necessitates –

1. You know how Social Security evaluates venous insufficiency (discussed on this page)
2. You satisfy a venous insufficiency Social Security Listing (also discussed on this page) or you have disabling Functional Limitations, and
3. You Submit Winning Evidence.

What Social Security Is Looking for – Venous Insufficiency And Medical Proof

Venous insufficiency, if severe enough, can produce disabling symptoms and limitations and can therefore be the basis of a successful Social Security and SSI disability case. Venous insufficiency is an impairment that affects the legs where blood is unable to travel to or through the legs properly due to damaged valves or blood clots in the veins of the legs. Social Security will be more likely to find you disabled if the following common symptoms affect you:

1. Swelling,
2. Inflammation,
3. Numbness,
4. Leg fatigue,
5. Pain, and
6. Sometimes skin infections.

When Social Security performs a medical review in your disability case, your venous insufficiency diagnosis will be the starting point. The next point will be a review of your treatment regimen. A venous insufficiency diagnosis is done by a vascular ultrasound. Social Security will generally need to see at least a marked degree of severity to find you disabled. Treatment is usually limited to compression stockings (if you use them, make sure your doctor indicates they are medically necessary), pain medications, blood thinners, and sometimes physical or occupational therapy. Antibiotics are prescribed for skin infections. Exercise is recommended though hard to do because of the condition.

If you have a surgery for venous insufficiency, Social Security will generally be of the opinion that your condition is more disabling than if you don’t. Common surgeries include:

1. Ligation,
2. Stripping,
3. Thermal ablation,
4. Phlebectomy, or
5. Vein bypass.

It is very common that those with venous insufficiency need to elevate their legs or lie down to minimize symptoms. As discussed in the next section about functional limitations, this is a limitation that will prevent all work as no job can be performed in a reclined position or lying down. This limitation is rarely, if ever, noted in your medical records. Therefore, it is critical you get a doctor statement that this limitation is necessary – Doctor Statements And What Social Security Looks For.

Tip. If your venous insufficiency causes a skin condition, swelling, or abnormal vascularity, you will do well to submit pictures to Social Security so you can better prove the severity of your symptoms – Pictures And What Social Security Looks For In A Disability Case.

Adult Venous Insufficiency Disability & SSI Listing

The Adult Listing 4.11 requires you to have leg vein malfunctioning or vein blockages and either –

1. Significant brawny edema (swelling, firm and dense feel, possible skin pigmentation changes, no pitting); or
2. Surface-level ongoing ulcers, varicose veins, and stasis dermatitis (skin discoloration and thickening).