Social Security Disability for Bronchiectasis or Pneumoconiosis

Bronchiectasis (brawn-kee-EK-tuh-sis) and pneumoconiosis (new-moh-koh-nee-OH-sis) are types of lung conditions that can make it hard to breathe. Bronchiectasis occurs when the large airways to the lungs become damaged, usually from an infection, causing mucus to build up and obstruct airflow. Pneumoconiosis is the term for a group of lung diseases caused by inhalation of toxic particles that create scar tissue in the lungs and make them difficult to expand.

These pulmonary illnesses can cause you to get tired easily, and you might find it hard to complete a simple daily routine without getting out of breath. If symptoms from bronchiectasis or pneumoconiosis are serious enough to keep you from working full-time for at least 12 months, you may be eligible for Social Security disability benefits. Knowing which medical records and functional limitations you’ll need to qualify can help increase your chances of a successful claim.

How to Qualify for Bronchiectasis or Pneumoconiosis Disability Benefits

The Social Security Administration (SSA) provides disability benefits to people who have a medically determinable impairment that keeps them from working at a level considered to be substantial gainful activity for at least one year. That means that if symptoms from your pulmonary disorder meet the requirements of a Blue Book listing or cause functional limitations that rule out all full-time employment, your application for disability benefits will be approved.

Meeting a Respiratory Disorder Listing

“Listings” are health problems that the SSA considers to be especially serious. If your medical records contain specific evidence that the agency has already determined is enough to show that you’re disabled, you can qualify for disability benefits without having to prove that no jobs exist that you can do. In Social Security lingo, this is called “meeting a listed impairment.”

Bronchiectasis is one of the listed impairments. Under the requirements of listing 3.07, you can be found disabled when:

• you have medical imaging (such as an X-ray, MRI, or CT scan) that shows a diagnosis of bronchiectasis, and
• you’ve had at least three symptom flare-ups where you needed at least 48 hours of hospitalization in the past year, spread over the course of several months.

Pneumoconiosis isn’t a listed impairment on its own, but Social Security will evaluate evidence documenting it under the listing for chronic respiratory disorders,listing 3.02. To meet this listing, you’ll need to have a lung functioning test that shows specific results demonstrating “pulmonary insufficiency.” You can read more about these (very technical) listing requirements in our article on how to get disability for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

Getting a Medical-Vocational Allowance

Even if you don’t meet the requirements of one of the respiratory listings, you can still qualify for disability if Social Security doesn’t think you have the residual functional capacity (RFC) to perform your past work or any other work. Your RFC is a set of limitations that reflects the most you’re capable of doing in a work setting.

The agency determines your RFC by reviewing your medical records and activities of daily living for evidence of functional limitations that affect the kinds of jobs you could do. For example, If you get out of breath after walking 50 feet or lifting more than 20 pounds, for example, your RFC will restrict you from jobs requiring that amount of walking or lifting. People with respiratory illnesses usually have an RFC containing non-exertional restrictions that rule out jobs involving work around dust, fumes, or pulmonary irritants.

After assessing your limitations, Social Security compares your RFC with the demands of your past jobs to see if you could do them now and, if not, whether other jobs exist that you could still perform. If you’re under 50, you’ll need to show that you can’t do any physically sedentary work, but if you’re over the age of 50, you may qualify for disability even if you can do a sit-down job under a special set of circumstances known as the medical-vocational grid rules.

Medical Evidence You’ll Need to Support Your Disability Claim

Social Security relies primarily on your medical records when deciding whether you meet a listing or what restrictions to include in your RFC. Quality matters as much as quantity, so it’s important to become familiar with some of the terms and definitions that let the agency know how serious your respiratory condition is.

Getting a Diagnosis of Bronchiectasis or Pneumoconiosis

The SSA is less concerned with your specific diagnosis than in the ways your condition affects your ability to work. However, having a formal medical diagnosis is certainly a big plus.

Bronchiectasis can be congenital—meaning it was present at birth—or acquired. Several diseases can cause acquired bronchiectasis, such as cystic fibrosis, tuberculosis, and HIV. Other conditions that can cause bronchiectasis include blockages in the airways due to tumors, severe heartburn, and drug abuse.

Pneumoconiosis can result from breathing in coal dust, silica, or asbestos, which inflame the lungs. Types of pneumoconiosis include coal miners’ pneumoconiosis (“black lung disease”), asbestosis, and silicosis. These conditions typically occur in people who perform jobs where they’re more likely to be exposed to inflammatory particles, such as coal mining or construction.

Symptoms and Complications of Bronchiectasis or Pneumoconiosis

Characteristic early symptoms of bronchiectasis and pneumoconiosis are chronic cough and shortness of breath. As the conditions progress, additional symptoms can include:

• a phlegmy (mucus-producing) or bloody cough
• wheezing
• fatigue
• joint or chest pain, and
• “clubbed” fingers (a thickening of the skin on your fingertips).

Advanced bronchiectasis and pneumoconiosis may result in complications such as respiratory failure, heart disease, and chronic lung infections. If the infections are severe enough, bacteria in the mucus trapped in the airways can cause brain abscesses. In instances where the pneumoconiosis is the result of inhaling coal dust, cancer might occur.

Documenting Your Medical Treatment

Your medical records should contain all evidence of any treatment you’ve received for your condition. That includes any diagnostic imaging or pulmonary testing that shows reduced lung functioning, as well as prescribed medications like antibiotics (such as amoxicillin or clarithromycin) or bronchodilators (a class of medications that help open up the lung passages). Make sure to tell your doctors about any side effects you have as a result of the medications.

If you’ve been hospitalized for reasons related to bronchiectasis or pneumoconiosis–for example, a severe infection that requires intravenous (IV) antibiotics, you should have the hospital admission and discharge summaries included in your record. And if your doctor can provide a medical source statement with their opinion about how your condition limits your ability to function, Social Security may use that information to determine whether you meet a listing or have an RFC that rules out all jobs.

How to Apply for Disability Benefits

Applying for Social Security benefits is a fairly straightforward process. You have several methods to choose from:

• File online using the SSA.gov portal.
• Call the Social Security national hotline at 800-772-1213 (TTY 800-325-0778 for the hearing impaired) between 8 a.m. and 7 p.m., Monday through Friday.
• Go to your local Social Security office and speak with a representative in person.

After you've submitted your application, the SSA will request records from your doctors, send you questionnaires to complete, and potentially ask you to attend a consultative examination. Once the evidence in your file is complete, the agency will issue a decision. On average, this takes four to five months, but it could take longer.

How Much Can I Get in Disability Benefits?

Social Security doesn't award benefits based on the type of medical condition you have. Rather, the amount you'll receive if you're approved depends on whether you're eligible for Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) or Supplemental Security Income (SSI). SSDI eligibility is based on your work history and how much you've contributed to the program in payroll taxes, while SSI is a needs-based benefit available to people with limited resources. You can learn more in our article on SSDI and SSI monthly check amounts.

Coal miners who developed pneumoconiosis can qualify for monthly payments under the Black Lung Program in addition to Social Security disability benefits. The Black Lung Program is administered by the Department of Labor to pay coal miners and their dependents or survivors. You can learn more about the program at the official government website here.

What Happens If My Condition Doesn’t Qualify for Benefits?

Getting disability benefits can be a lengthy, stressful process, usually involving multiple appeals. (Most people aren’t awarded benefits on their first or even second try.) You have 60 days from receiving a denial letter to appeal the decision. While you wait to hear back from the SSA, you can work on strengthening your claim and increase your odds of getting approved at a disability hearing. Here are a few tips to improve your case:

• Don’t downplay other health concerns. Social Security needs to consider all of your impairments when determining whether you’re disabled. Don’t neglect other conditions, such as mental disorders, when letting the agency know why you can’t work.
• Provide a detailed work history. Many applicants gloss over this part of the application and are later denied because the SSA thinks they can do their past work. If your old jobs involved exposure to inhalants that could exacerbate your symptoms, it’s important to let the agency know.
• Explain why you can’t do a sit-down job. These jobs still require you to lift and carry ten-pound objects, concentrate on simple tasks, and maintain regular attendance, but symptoms of fatigue and shortness of breath can make these duties challenging.

Consider hiring an experienced disability attorney or advocate to help you with your claim for disability benefits. Your lawyer or representative can gather your medical evidence, correspond with Social Security on your behalf, and represent you at a hearing. Disability attorneys don’t get paid unless (and until) you win and many offer free consultations, so there’s little risk in asking around to find a lawyer who’s a good fit for your needs.