Whether you have emphysema, chronic bronchitis, refractory asthmas, or certain forms of bronchiectasis, if your chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is severe and causes you to experience persistent and severe breathlessness, wheezing, chest tightness, or coughing, you are likely eligible for Social Security disability benefits. While wheezing, coughing, and breathlessness alone can make it impossible for a worker to sit upright six hours out of an eight hour day or stand and/or walk two hours out of an eight hour day, the attendant fatigue associated with these symptoms and the disease in general can confine people with severe COPD to spending most of their waking hours lying down in bed, a recliner, or a couch.
If you receive oxygen during the day or night as prescribed by your treating physician, it is likely that you meet one of the Social Security Administration‘s listings for respiratory disorder, which are mostly defined by the results of pulmonary function testing. However, even if your FEV1 or FVC testing results do not satisfy the requirements of a listing, it is possible that your COPD equals a listing, particularly if your treating respiratory doctor has advised that you cease working.
COPD is without question an extremely severe disease that can wreak havoc on an individual’s life and prevent them from working any job, including even jobs that were easy to perform in the past. If you or a family member suffer from any form of COPD and would like to learn more about how Viner Disability Law may be able to help you obtain your Social Security disability benefits, please contact our office at your convenience.
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