Social Security Disability Law: News and Facts

Hepatitis B is an infection of the liver that is caused by the HBV virus. Symptoms include fatigue, itching, nausea, jaundice, joint pain, and abdominal pain. Many people who contract hepatitis B are able to fight off the disease and make a complete recovery. Some are not. These patients will develop chronic hepatitis B.   Social Security does not have a separate disability listing for hepatitis B. Hepatitis B is evaluated under the chronic liver disease disability listing. To qualify under this listing you must have evidence of at least one of the following: -Esophageal varices (expanded blood vessels in the esophagus and/or stomach) -Internal bleeding -Ascites (accumulation of pathologic fluid in the abdomen) -Hypoalbuminemia (low levels of the protein albumin) -Encephalopathy (confusion or altered consciousness caused by liver malfunction) -High levels of bilirubin in the blood Most people with hepatitis B will not meet the listing for chronic liver disease. However, you ma...

The liver is a large organ located in your upper abdominal region, just below your diaphragm. It is designed to carry out a number of functions, including purifying the blood, detoxifying the body, and secreting bile for the digestion of fats. Often when the liver is diseased it can regenerate itself, but that can cause scar tissue, nodules, and fibrous tissue, which is called cirrhosis. There are different kinds of cirrhosis. One kind is alcoholic liver disease, and there is a non-alcoholic form of cirrhosis. The common causes of cirrhosis are alcoholism, fatty liver disease, hepatitis B, and hepatitis C. There are a variety of other causes as well. A chronic disorder that is progressive, cirrhosis causes healthy liver tissue to be replaced by fibrous scar tissue. The scar tissue results in a progressive loss of liver function, which can eventually lead you to need you to require a liver transplant. Once liver damage has occurred, it is irreversible to an extent. The severity of the c...