If you work in an office, warehouse, factory or virtually anywhere else, you use your fingers, wrists, elbows and other joints to perform your job duties. Even if you take steps to prevent a repetitive stress injury, psoriatic arthritis may make it extremely difficult or impossible to perform your job duties.
Psoriasis is a skin condition that often causes red, dry, itchy or scaly patches to appear on the skin. Individuals who have psoriasis are vulnerable to psoriatic arthritis, which may cause swollen and painful joints.
How does psoriatic arthritis interfere with work?
By itself, psoriasis may interfere with your ability to work, as an intolerable rash may make it difficult for you to focus on your job duties. If you develop psoriatic arthritis, though, you are likely to have difficulty moving your joints. Regrettably, psoriatic arthritis can affect any joint in your body, including your spine.
How do you obtain SSDI benefits?
If you have a sufficient number of work credits, you may want to consider applying for Social Security Disability Insurance benefits. To receive them, your psoriatic arthritis must constitute a disability. Specifically, you must prove your psoriatic arthritis prevents you from keeping substantially gainful employment.
When can you expect your benefits?
Even if you qualify for SSDI benefits for your psoriatic arthritis, knowing when you can expect the Social Security Administration to approve your application can be difficult. While normal processing time often takes a few months, the SSA denies most first-time applications.
Still, you should not let a denial of your initial application dishearten you. After all, many individuals with psoriatic arthritis eventually receive SSDI benefits after attending a hearing or going through other parts of the appeals process.
