How to Evaluate a Back Pain Disability

For back pain to be considered a disability, it must be sever enough that it is going to keep you from working. Also the only way a medical condition can be considered for disability is to have a disability evaluation performed by your family doctor or a specialist in the specific area where you are injured. The doctor who performs the evaluation has to determine that your condition has existed for the past 12 months and is projected to last longer.

Does my Back Pain Meet Disability RequirementsStep 1

Make an appointment to see your regular physician. The physician might refer you to a specialist, who will conduct a series of tests on your back and spine. Tests might include X-rays, CT scans or an MRI. Many times through your local county offices (usually found in the courthouse), you can be directed to the disability office, and it can set you up with a free disability evaluation.

Step 2

After having the tests and scans performed, your doctor will have to determine that you have at least one of the four conditions: muscle weakness, sensory and reflex loss, limited range of motion in the spine or a positive result on the straight-leg raising test.

Step 3

The doctor must determine if there are occupational limitations regarding your back pain that won’t allow you to perform normal work duties or any work typically related to work you have done in the past. These occupational limitations would normally be because of distortion of bony ligaments or any impingement on nerve root.

Step 4

Once you have been approved for disability, keep in mind that if your going to continue working (permitting your doctor releases you to do an easier type of work possibly from your home), you cannot earn more than $900 per month (this is a gross amount, before taxes are taken out).