Matthew Mincone | December 27, 2024 | Personal Injury
Disabilities are probably more common than you realize. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, 44 million noninstitutionalized Americans report a disability, and many of them receive financial support. Signs that you will be approved for disability benefits include difficulties with cognitive, ambulatory, self-care, or independent living tasks.
Fortunately, Social Security benefits are available to workers who have paid into the system and suffer a long-term total disability. Workers’ compensation benefits help people injured on the job. Finally, Florida law gives many accident victims the right to pursue claims against those responsible for injuring them.
There are many ways to measure the most common disabilities in America. Using the Census Bureau’s broad definition, anything that affects your mobility, cognition, or ability to care for yourself qualifies as a disability, including conditions that fall under these 10 categories.
1. Musculoskeletal Conditions and Diseases
The Social Security Administration (SSA) determines what medical conditions qualify for long-term disability benefits. According to the SSA, more beneficiaries are approved for disability due to musculoskeletal conditions and diseases than any other condition.
Examples include many autoimmune disorders that produce inflammation or bone weakness, such as osteoporosis, arthritis, and lupus.
2. Musculoskeletal Injuries
The SSA classifies conditions and diseases separately from injuries. Musculoskeletal injuries are very common but are rarely reported as disabilities because they may cause only short-term or temporary loss of function.
What qualifies for short-term disability? Some examples are bone fractures, torn ligaments, and strained muscles and tendons that employees may suffer in workplace accidents.
3. Back Pain
Chronic back pain is one of the leading reasons for missed work days. It is also one of the most common grounds for seeking workers’ compensation benefits.
Back pain can arise from many causes, including muscle strain, compressed or ruptured discs, and fractured vertebrae. Falls, such as slip and fall accidents, are often the reason for back injuries.
4. Cognitive Disabilities
Cognitive disabilities cover a wide range of conditions, including congenital intellectual disabilities and traumatic brain injuries. Symptoms may include memory loss and difficulty concentrating. These disabilities are also common among the aging population.
5. Neurological Disabilities
Nerve damage and degenerative nerve conditions can cause ambulatory disabilities. For example, nerve damage in your leg may impede your ability to walk. Neurological disabilities can also cause numbness or uncomfortable tingling.
6. Circulatory Problems
Heart disease is the most common cause of death in the United States. It can also disable patients by limiting their stamina, or it can cause other disabilities when it triggers an event such as a heart attack. For example, a patient may develop a cognitive disability after a stroke.
7. Respiratory Disabilities
Respiratory disabilities, like asthma, COPD, and emphysema, used to be more common. However, the prevalence of these disabilities has dropped since fewer people smoke. However, millions of Americans still live with asthma and could suffer an attack at any time.
8. Cancer
Cancer is considered a disability when its symptoms or treatments prevent you from performing your normal activities. For example, fatigue and illness from chemotherapy could keep you from working. The SSA also considers any terminal illness expected to cause your death within one year a disability. Cancer is the second-leading cause of death in the United States.
9. Mental Illness
Mental illness can result from genetic factors. It can also arise from environmental factors such as trauma. Post-traumatic stress, anxiety, and substance use disorders can develop after a serious accident or injury.
10. Endocrine Diseases and Disorders
Exposure to toxins such as pesticides may disrupt your endocrine system. This system regulates and releases hormones. When it malfunctions, you can gain weight, experience blood sugar imbalances, and feel too fatigued to work.
Getting Help For Disabilities
Any disability can change your quality of life and your finances. The most common disabilities often require expensive medical care while preventing you from working. Search for “disability lawyers near me” to learn how to get help dealing with a disability.
Contact the Tampa Personal Injury Lawyers at Mincone Personal Injury Lawyers for Help Today
If you’ve been injured in an accident in Tampa, FL, contact our skilled personal injury lawyers at Mincone Personal Injury Lawyers to schedule a free case review.
We proudly serve Hillsborough County and its surrounding areas:
Mincone Personal Injury Lawyers
1925 E 6th Ave Ste 10
Tampa, FL 33605
(813) 430-3338