Can I Qualify for Social Security Disability With Long Covid?
By Chris Sharry on June 27th, 2024 in Disability, Disability Qualifying, Social Security Disability
Qualifying for Disability With Long Covid
What is Long Covid?
According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), Long Covid is a chronic condition that occurs after SARS-CoV-2 infection and is present for at least 3 months. Long COVID includes a wide range of symptoms or conditions that may improve, worsen, or be ongoing.
Long COVID occurs more often in people who had severe COVID-19 illness, but anyone who gets COVID-19 can experience it, including children.
Symptoms:
People with Long COVID can have a wide variety of symptoms that can range from mild to severe and may be similar to symptoms from other illnesses. Symptoms can last weeks, months, or years after COVID-19 illness and can emerge, persist, resolve, and reemerge over different lengths of time. Long COVID may not affect everyone the same way.
- Chest pain
- Chronic fatigue
- Joint and muscle pain
- Shortness of breath and difficulty breathing
- Headaches
- Dizziness
- Insomnia
- Irregular blood pressure and/or heart palpitations
- Trouble focusing or concentrating
- Brain fog
- Problems with multitasking
To qualify for SSDI, applicants must have a medically determinable impairment that prevents them from working or engaging in substantial gainful activity for 12 months or longer. The Social Security Administration (SSA) considers earning over a certain monthly amount substantial gainful activity. Though this amount changes annually, in 2024, most applicants could make up to $1,550 per month (and legally blind individuals could earn up to $2,590 each month) without it negatively affecting their eligibility.
While the Blue Book, which is the official SSA listing of impairments, does not specifically include long COVID as its own listing, you may qualify for benefits if you can demonstrate that your symptoms have left you completely disabled, are expected to last for at least a year, and are keeping you from engaging in substantial gainful activity. The SSA Social will consider both your past work experience and education when determining whether you are eligible for disability benefits based on your residual functional capacity.
Please call our office at (508) 421-4610 to speak with Attorney Christopher Sharry about your Social Security Disability Case.
