Have you been diagnosed with congestive heart failure? Congestive Heart Failure (CHF) is a condition in which your heart does not circulate the blood through your body well. This tends to cause swelling, particularly in the legs, as your blood pools in your lower extremities. Often, a person with CHF cannot engage in work activities because his or her heart is just not strong enough. If you have been going through the steps for recovery recommended by your doctor but are still unable to work, you may qualify for Social Security Disability and Social Security Supplemental Income.
Congestive Heart Failure is covered by Social Security Listing 4.02 for Chronic Heart Failure. A successful claim under this listing requires MRIs or other imaging techniques demonstrating cardiac enlargement or overall low performance of your heart. Some examples would be: the inability to perform an exercise test at 5 METS or less, a left ventricular ejection fraction of 30% or less, three or more ventricular premature beats, or physical symptoms attributable to inadequate cerebral perfusion. While these terms are somewhat technical, your doctor can tell you if meet any of these requirements.
CHF is hard to prove in people under 50 (although not impossible). If you are over 50, a little over weight, and have recurrent swelling in your legs and ankles you may want to consult your doctor about the possibility of having CHF. Your doctor can advise you of your limitations, and if you can no longer work you should contact Kraft and Associates about starting your Disability and Supplemental Income claim.
