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Article:
Fibromyalgia: Can it be Disabling? by: Gerald G. Lutkenhaus Social Security has Impairment Listings for Heart Ailments, Back Ailments, etc. Fibromyalgia is not found among the Impairment Listings. Thus, an applicant cannot obtain a favorable disability 'Impairment Listing' ruling because Fibromyalgia is not found among the Listings. The inquiry must proceed further. Social Security has a five step disabilty process. First, if you are working, then the inquiry stops. Second, if you do not have a 'severe impairment,' the inquiry stops. Third, if you are not working and you have a 'severe impairment' the next inquiry is does your 'severe impairment' meet or equal a Listed Impairment. You cannot win a fibromyalgia case at this step because there is no listing for fibromyalgia although it can be a 'severe impairment' and get you past step two. Thus, with a fibromyalgia case, you will have to go to step four. At step four the judge must decide if you can do your past relevant work (PRW). This is any work you did in the past 15 years prior to your onset of disability. If the judge finds you cannot do PRW, then you go to step five which is can you do any other work in the national economy. All my fibromyalgia cases have gone to step five. Social Security has begun to recognize fibromyalgia as a legitimate impairment: On May '11
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