Hepatitis C can cause lasting liver damage even after treatment clears the virus. If cirrhosis, portal hypertension or another complication of chronic liver disease prevents you from working, Crowe & Shanahan can help you pursue Social Security Disability benefits. Our St. Louis hepatitis C disability lawyers represent disabled workers throughout eastern Missouri and southern Illinois.
Our St. Louis law firm focuses entirely on Social Security Disability matters. You receive direct access to an attorney who takes time to understand your diagnosis, treatment history and work limitations. Our lawyers provide straightforward guidance while building a claim around the long-term effects of your liver condition.
Contact our attorneys online or call us at 314-231-6660 to schedule an appointment.
Modern oral medications can cure hepatitis C in many people within several weeks. However, clearing the virus does not always reverse liver scarring or other complications that developed before treatment. For this reason, an active hepatitis C infection alone may not establish that you are disabled. The Social Security Administration focuses on the severity and lasting effects of your liver damage. Hepatitis C is one of many medical conditions that may qualify for disability benefits.
To qualify for Social Security Disability Insurance or Supplemental Security Income, you generally must show that a medically determinable condition prevents substantial gainful activity and has lasted, or is expected to last, for at least 12 continuous months.
Your eligibility may depend on complications such as:
Our St. Louis disability attorneys review how these complications affect your ability to remain productive, attend work regularly and complete a normal workday. A lawyer can also determine whether you may qualify for Social Security Disability Insurance benefits or another disability program.
The Social Security Administration evaluates chronic liver disease under Section 5.05 of its Listing of Impairments, commonly called the Blue Book. This listing does not focus solely on whether hepatitis C remains detectable. Instead, it examines documented complications and evidence showing how severely the liver has been damaged.
Blue Book Section 5.05 contains several ways a person may qualify at the listing stage. Depending on the circumstances, the SSA may consider evidence of:
The exact listing requirements are detailed and may include specific test results, treatment records, procedures and time periods. Having one of these complications does not automatically mean that every requirement is satisfied. Our attorneys compare the medical evidence with the applicable criteria and identify any records needed to support the claim.
A strong disability claim should document both the underlying liver disease and the limitations it causes. Our St. Louis lawyers may help collect records from hepatologists, gastroenterologists, primary care providers, hospitals and other treatment sources.
Relevant evidence may include:
Our attorneys also examine whether the record explains how often symptoms occur and how long they last. Fatigue, abdominal swelling, confusion, nausea, weakness and medication effects may interfere with attendance, concentration, lifting, standing or completing tasks at a consistent pace.
A lawyer from our St. Louis law office can organize this evidence and explain why chronic liver disease prevents you from maintaining employment. Our legal team may also identify missing records that could affect whether the SSA fully understands the severity of your condition.
You may still qualify even when your liver damage does not meet every requirement of Listing 5.05. The Social Security Administration may assess your residual functional capacity, commonly called RFC. Your RFC is the most you can still do in a work setting despite your medical limitations.
The SSA may consider whether your condition limits your ability to:
The agency may then decide whether you can return to your past work or adjust to other employment. Our disability lawyers review your medical limitations together with your age, education and work experience. An attorney can use this information to explain why no suitable full-time work remains available to you.
Chronic liver disease claims often involve extensive medical records and technical listing requirements. Our lawyers help clients understand what evidence the SSA needs and how the application or appeal process works.
Our law firm may help by:
Our St. Louis attorneys serve disabled individuals and their families throughout eastern Missouri, the Metro East and southern Illinois. Because our law firm concentrates on Social Security Disability cases, our lawyers understand the medical and vocational evidence that may determine the outcome of a chronic liver disease claim.
Possibly. A successful course of antiviral treatment does not erase permanent liver damage that developed before the virus was cleared. You may still qualify if cirrhosis, portal hypertension, hepatic encephalopathy or another lasting complication prevents you from maintaining full-time work. Our attorneys can review whether the remaining damage meets a Blue Book listing or supports a finding that you cannot perform sustained work.
The SSA evaluates chronic liver disease under Blue Book Section 5.05. The agency reviews objective medical evidence, including laboratory findings, imaging, endoscopy reports, hospitalization records and documentation of complications. A lawyer can compare those records with the technical requirements of the listing and explain whether more evidence is needed.
Failing to meet a listing does not automatically end your claim. The SSA may evaluate your residual functional capacity and decide whether you can perform your previous job or adjust to other work. Our St. Louis disability lawyers can document how fatigue, pain, confusion, weakness, frequent treatment or other limitations affect your ability to work consistently.
You do not have to handle a disability application or appeal alone. Our attorneys can review your treatment records, explain how the SSA evaluates chronic liver disease and identify the next step in your case.
If complications from hepatitis C or chronic liver disease prevent you from maintaining employment, speak with our St. Louis lawyers today. Our law office provides free evaluations to disabled workers throughout eastern Missouri and southern Illinois. Contact our law firm online to discuss your Social Security Disability claim.
We take pride in the strong professional and personal relationships we build with each client. You will meet with the attorney early on and that same attorney will be with you throughout the process. You can rely on us to give you honest advice about your options because this is the right thing to do.
As your advocates, we will remain by your side throughout the process, developing a strategy that fits your specific circumstances. Your legal and financial issues are unique, so we tailor our advice according to your situation. Many individuals and families have benefited from this legal approach.
