Important: We updated this article in June 2024 with the latest information from the Social Security Administration. There are many mental and physical health conditions that may lead to someone filing for Social Security disability benefits. The Social Security Administration (SSA) Blue Book lists qualifications for awarding SSD benefits based on specific health conditions. If you meet the health and income criteria, then you may qualify to receive monthly disability benefits. Our top 10 disabilities list below explains the most common disability claims awarded benefits, according to the SSA.
Most Common Disability Claims Awarded Monthly Benefits: Top 10 Medical Conditions
Some health conditions appear more often than others on successful SSD claims. Below, we’ll rank the top 10 health conditions the Social Security Administration awarded disability benefits in 2022.
1. Musculoskeletal System Disorders Are Always the Most Common Disability Claims Awarded Benefits Every Year
Musculoskeletal system disorders include things like muscle, back and joint problems that cause chronic pain. It also covers anything that directly affects the bones of your skeleton. These have topped the list of conditions that qualify for disability benefits for 22 years (going back to 2002). Musculoskeletal system issues still rank #1, comprising 34.4% of newly approved claims in 2022.
Here are some of the most approved disabilities that fall under this category:
- Arthritis
- Back pain
- Degenerative disc disease
- Fibromyalgia
- Herniated discs
- Osteoarthritis
- Osteoporosis
- Rheumatoid arthritis
- Sciatica
- Spinal stenosis
- Spondylosis
2. Cancer and Other Tumors
Cancer and other tumors appeared on 13.6% of the most common disability claims awarded benefits, taking 2nd place. Some cancers commonly awarded disability benefits include:
- Bladder cancer
- Brain tumors
- Colon cancer
- Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma
- Breast cancer
- Leukemia
- Lung cancer
- Lymphoma
- Melanoma
- Mesothelioma
- Pancreatic cancer
- Prostate cancer
- Thyroid cancer
3. Organic Mental Disorders (Primarily Mood Disorders) and Other Mental Health Issues
Third, we have mental disorders and intellectual disabilities making up 12% of new benefit awards in 2022. Here’s a closer look at what falls under this group ranked highest to lowest number of claims:
- 19,826 were for mood disorders, such as anxiety, depression, bipolar disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), or PTSD.
- 12,804 were for neurocognitive mental health disorders, such as frontotemporal dementia and aphasia.
- 11,971 were for all other mental disorders that cause some type of brain function loss.
- 8,738 were for schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorder, and other psychotic disorders, including active psychosis.
- 5,300 were for an intellectual disability, such as Down syndrome, Fragile X syndrome, or other intellectual and developmental disorders.
- 2,378 were for autism spectrum disorders.
4. Heart Disease and Circulatory System Disorders
In fourth place, 11% of the most common disability claims listed cardiovascular system and circulatory system disorders. This includes things such as:
- Atrial fibrillation (a-fib)
- Chronic venous insufficiency
- Congenital heart defect and heart transplant patients
- Coronary artery disease
- Heart disease
- Heart failure
- High blood pressure
- Marfan syndrome
- Peripheral artery disease
- Phlebitis
- POTS
- Sickle cell disease
- Stroke
- Supraventricular tachycardia (SVT)
Important: It’s very difficult to receive Social Security disability benefits for a heart attack or stroke. The Social Security Administration will not review any medical evidence from you for 90 days after your heart-related illness or event.
5. Nervous System Disorders & Spinal Disorders
Nervous system disorders came in fifth place at 9.5%, which also includes conditions that affect the body’s sense organs. This group of most approved disabilities includes conditions such as:
- Alzheimer’s
- Cerebral palsy
- Epilepsy and other seizure-related disorders
- Hearing loss
- Lou Gehrig’s disease
- Macular degeneration
- Multiple sclerosis
- Parkinson’s
- Vision loss, including blindness from birth
6. Respiratory System Disorders
In 6th place with 5% of the most common disability claims awarded benefits are respiratory system disorders. Anything that makes breathing more difficult falls under this category, which includes the following medical conditions:
- Asthma
- Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
- Emphysema
- Pulmonary fibrosis
Pro Tip: If you currently depend on daily oxygen at home to breathe, it may make disability approval easier for you.
7. Reproductive System & Waste Organ Disorders
These conditions, which made up 4% of approved claims in 2022, affect organs like your kidneys, uterus, bladder, and prostate. The most common disability claims for this category include health problems such as:
- Kidney disease
- Kidney failure
- Prolapsed bladder
- Uterine prolapse
Pro Tip: If you need dialysis, you can qualify for disability faster than most other people.
8. Accidental Physical Injuries, Burns, and Poisonings
You might be surprised what shows up in the eighth spot for 2022 disability approvals, accounting for 3.6% of awards that year. Most common disability claims in this category included things like:
- Amputated limbs
- Bone fractures
- Burns, including those caused by radiation exposure
- Carpal tunnel surgery
- Chemical burns and/or poisoning accidents
- Traumatic brain injury (TBI)
Important: Most major surgery, including joint replacement or spinal fusion procedures, do not usually qualify for disability benefits. This is because you must provide sufficient medical evidence proving you cannot work at all for 12 months to qualify for disability. Carpal tunnel surgery is a rare exception that may be more likely to qualify for SSDI or SSI.
9. Digestive System Issues
Coming in at 2.3% of approved Social Security disability claims for 2022 are digestive system issues. The most common disability claims in this category can include things like:
- Cirrhosis of the liver
- Crohn’s disease
- Diverticulitis
- Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD)
- Liver failure
- Pancreatitis
- Ulcerative colitis
10. Nutritional, Metabolic, and Immune System Disorders or Conditions
This last spot in our top 10 list of most common disability claims also includes endocrine disorders and connective tissue disorders. At just 2.1% of claims awarded benefits, the following health conditions fall into this category:
- AIDS that develops as a result of an HIV infection
- Ankylosing spondylitis
- Cystic fibrosis
- Diabetes
- Gout
- Hashimoto’s
- Lupus
- Lyme disease
- Systemic vasculitis
Infographic: 10 Most Common Conditions Awarded Social Security Disability Benefits
Learn more while you scan the complete list of most commonly approved conditions for SSDI and SSI in our infographic below:
Do Any Medical Conditions Automatically Qualify for Disability Benefits?
Yes, provided you can also meet the technical eligibility requirements for each program:
- For a Supplemental Security Income disability claim, you must have both very low income and few financial resources.
- For Social Security Disability Insurance, you need to have 40 Social Security work credits. You can earn up to 4 of these every year, since Social Security payroll taxes fund SSDI disability benefits.
You’ll also need to provide medical evidence that your medical condition forces you to stop working for at least one year. See more than 250 Compassionate Allowances conditions that automatically qualify for disability payments.
If approved, you’ll typically start receiving Social Security benefits for a CAL list condition in 30 days or less from your filing date.
Don’t See Your Health Problem in the List of Most Common Disability Claims? Sign Up for A Free, Private Expert SSD Claim Evaluation
The Social Security disability application process is difficult and takes a long time to get through for most people. Having an experienced Social Security disability attorney file your claim makes you nearly 3x more likely to receive disability benefits. Even better, a Social Security disability lawyer makes you more likely to win benefits within 6 months of your filing date.
We can put you in touch with a local disability claims expert for a free phone call to discuss your situation. If a lawyer files your claim, that attorney cannot get paid any money unless you win cash benefits. And if you do win, then you’ll only pay one small fee.
Want to know if you may qualify for disability benefits before you apply? Click the button below to start your free disability evaluation online now:
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Lori Polemenakos is Director of Consumer Content and SEO strategist for LeadingResponse, a legal marketing company. An award-winning journalist, writer and editor based in Dallas, Texas, she's produced articles for major brands such as Match.com, Yahoo!, MSN, AOL, Xfinity, Mail.com, and edited several published books. Since 2016, she's published hundreds of articles about Social Security disability, workers' compensation, veterans' benefits, personal injury, mass tort, auto accident claims, bankruptcy, employment law and other related legal issues.
