Listing of Impairments

The Social Security Administration divides impairments into fourteen categories. If your condition or conditions do not fall into the categories listed or list of impairments you may still qualify for a Vocational Medical Allowance.

The Listing of Impairments describes, for each major body system, impairments considered severe enough to prevent an individual from doing any gainful activity (or in the case of children under age 18 applying for SSI, severe enought to cause marked and severe functional limitations).




Listing Requirements

Your must track the requirements of the listing.  Ultimately, your goal should be to enable your doctor help you win your case.

Most listings contain a requirement for:

1.  Lab tests and a

2.  Functional capacity evaluation.

The SSA wants a comment or observation from your doctor about your capacity to work supported by objective testing.

For all other listings, the evidence must show that the impairment has lasted or is expected to last for a continuous period of at least 12 months.




The criteria in the Listing of Impairments are applicable to evaluation of claims for disability benefits under the Social Security disability insurance program or payments under both the SSI program.

Social Security List of Impairments:

The Listing of Impairments describes, for each major body system, impairments considered severe enough to prevent an individual from doing any gainful activity (or in the case of children under age 18 applying for SSI, severe enought to cause marked and severe functional limitations). Most of the listed impairments are permanent or expected to result in death, or the listing includes a specific statement of duration is made. For all other listings, the evidence must show that the impairment has lasted or is expected to last for a continuous period of at least 12 months. The criteria in the Listing of Impairments are applicable to evaluation of claims for disability benefits under the Social Security disability insurance program or payments under both the SSI program.

The Listing of Impairments describes, for each major body system, impairments considered severe enough to prevent an individual from doing any gainful activity (or in the case of children under age 18 applying for SSI, severe enought to cause marked and severe functional limitations). Most of the listed impairments are permanent or expected to result in death, or the listing includes a specific statement of duration is made. For all other listings, the evidence must show that the impairment has lasted or is expected to last for a continuous period of at least 12 months. The criteria in the Listing of Impairments are applicable to evaluation of claims for disability benefits under the Social Security disability insurance program or payments under both the SSI program.




Your condition will be found in a separate category as listed below. In order to meet the test for impairment you must meet ALL of the requirements found in that particular listing.

For Example: Link to SSA category for impairments associated with Multiple Sclerosis is found under Neurological Impairments:

Individuals applying for social security disability or SSI disability benefits on the basis of multiple sclerosis, or simply MS, can be approved in one of two ways:

1. By means of a medical vocational allowance;

2. By meeting or equaling the requirements of the multiple sclerosis listing (listing 11.09) in the social security administration’s impairment listing manual.

To be approved via a medical vocational allowance, an MS claimant’s medical records must show that their condition is severe and has lasted, or can be projected to last, for a period not less than twelve months.

During this actual or projected twelve month period, the claimant’s condition must also prevent them from working at a job they have done in the past, and prevent them from engaging in suitable forms of other work.

See Section on Medical Vocational Allowance. This is how most disability claims are approved.

An MS patient can also be approved for social security disability or SSI disability benefits on the basis of meeting or equaling the requirements of the multiple sclerosis listing.

The multiple sclerosis listing (listing 11.09) provides specific criteria for disability approvals made on the basis of MS.

The MS listing provides for three separate and distinct types of criteria that, when individually met, may result in an awarding of benefits.

These three categories can be labeled as follows:

1. Motor function impairment
2. Visual impairment
3. Mental impairment.

Regarding the first category, motor function impairment, an individual with MS can meet the requirements of the multiple sclerosis listing IF their medical records document a diagnosis of multiple sclerosis and one of the following:

A. Significant, persistent motor function disorganization in two extremities (two arms, two legs, or one arm and one leg) to the extent that this disorganization causes a sustained disturbance of either gait and station or gross and dexterous movements.

OR

B. Significant motor function fatigue with substantial muscle weakness (on repetitive activity). This fatigue and weakness must be able to be demonstrated upon physical examination. Additionally, it must be considered to result from multiple sclerosis – related neurological dysfunction.

Regarding the second category, visual impairment, a multiple sclerosis patient can be approved for social security disability or SSI disability benefits if their medical records indicate a diagnosis of multiple sclerosis and also demonstrate a loss of visual acuity, peripheral vision, or visual efficiency.




For most disability claimants, of course, the visual criteria that will apply will relate to lost visual acuity and it is in this area that SSA is fairly strict. To satisfy the visual acuity criteria, a claimant’s eyesight must be so deficient that, even in the better eye and even after best correction has been made, their residual eyesight is 20/200 or worse.

Finally, a social security disability or SSI disability claimant can be approved for benefits on the basis of the multiple sclerosis listing if

1. The individual has been diagnosed with MS and

2. The individual meets or equals the requirements of Social Security Disability listing for organic mental disorders (listing 12.02).

The social security administration defines organic mental disorders as behavioral or psychological abnormalities that are associated with brain dysfunction. To meet the requirements for an organic mental disorder (i.e. for an MS patient to be approved for disability on the basis of an OMD), the presence of a specific organic factor must be demonstrated to be related to the psychological or behavioral abnormalities in question. Proof of this organic factor and its etiological link may be provided by

  • The claimant’s medical history
  • The findings of physical examinations
  • The results of laboratory testsAdditionally, beyond documenting the presence of an organic factor for which behavioral or psychological abnormalities are the result, the severity of an organic mental disorder must also be demonstrated. Additional information on Listing 12.02, Organic Mental DisordersIn general terms, this means more than a minimal limitation of the ability to perform basic work activities, or marked restrictions in the ability to engage in activities of daily living, maintain social functioning, and maintain concentration, persistence, or pace. Another indicator of severity in the area of organic mental disorders would be repeated episodes of decompensation, each of extended duration.
  • Be sensitive to the wording AND means and OR means or.




Carefully consider whether you meet each listed item.

The Social Security Administration whether your condition is consistent with the precise exact criteria for a given medical listing.

Typically a physician must state that your condition is consistent with the stated listing of conditions resulting in impairment.

The evaluation of whether or not you meet or equal a listed impairment occurs as the third step in the determining process.

If you are eligible after the first two steps and SSA determines you meet or equal a listed impairment then the determination is concluded and you win your case.

If you are found not to meet or equal one of the listed impairments you proceed to the fourth step of the determination process.

Disability Conditions:

  • Anemia
  • Ankle
  • Anxiety
  • Arthritis
  • Asthma
  • Attention Deficit Hyper Activity or ADHD
  • Autism
  • Back or other
  • Bipolar Disorder or
  • Bradycardia or other arrhythmia
  • Bronchitis
  • Cancer
  • Cancer
  • Cardiomyopathy or tachycardia
  • Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
  • Cerebral palsy
  • CFIDS
  • Chronic fatigue
  • Cirrhosis
  • Clinical Obesity
  • Congestive or Chronic Heart Failure
  • COPD
  • Coronary artery disease
  • Crohn’s disease
  • Cystic fibrosis
  • Degenerative Disc Disease
  • Depression or other Mood Disorders
  • Diabetes
  • Diabetic Neuropathy
  • Disc Herniation
  • Down syndrome
  • Dysthymia
  • Emphysema
  • Epilepsy
  • ESRD or end stage renal disease
  • Head trauma
  • Hearing Loss or Poor Hearing
  • Hepatitis or other liver disease
  • High Blood Pressure (Hypertension)
  • Hip
  • HIV, AIDs
  • Inflammatory Bowel Disease
  • Inner ear problems
  • Irritable Bowel Syndrome
  • Joint Problems
  • Kidney failure requiring dialysis or other renal problems
  • Learning disability
  • Low IQ
  • Lupus
  • Lupus
  • Lyme disease
  • Manic Depression
  • Memory loss
  • Meniere’s
  • Mental retardation
  • Multiple sclerosis
  • Muscular dystrophy
  • Neck
  • Osteoarthritis
  • Osteoporosis
  • Pancreatitis
  • Panic Disorder
  • Peripheral Field Problems or Other Vision Loss
  • Peripheral vascular disease
  • Reflux gerd (gastroesophageal reflux disease)
  • RSD or reflex sympathetic dystrophy
  • RSI or Repetetive Stress Injury
  • Sarcoidosis
  • Schizophrenia
  • Shoulder
  • Sickle cell
  • Spinal Stenosis
  • Statutory Blindness
  • Stroke
  • Thyroid problems including hypothyroidism
  • Type One Seizure Disorder
  • Type Two Diabetes
  • Ulcerative Colitis
  • Vertigo or dizziness
  • Wrist