What this listing covers
Intestinal failure occurs when your digestive tract cannot properly absorb the nutrients, water, and electrolytes necessary to maintain your health. This often results from conditions like short bowel syndrome, where a significant portion of your small intestine is missing or non-functional, or from severe chronic motility disorders that prevent food from moving through your system.
Living with this condition often requires total dependence on parenteral nutrition, which delivers nutrients directly into your bloodstream through a central venous catheter. This treatment is time-consuming and carries significant risks, such as infections or blood clots, which can make maintaining a consistent work schedule or performing daily physical tasks extremely difficult.
How SSA evaluates a claim under this listing
Under Listing 5.07, the Social Security Administration evaluates whether your intestinal failure is severe enough to prevent you from working. Your condition must be caused by specific issues like short bowel syndrome, chronic motility disorders, or extensive small bowel mucosal disease.
The core of the evaluation is your dependence on daily parenteral nutrition administered via a central venous catheter. To meet the listing, you must demonstrate that this nutritional support has been medically necessary for at least 12 months. The SSA looks for documentation confirming both your underlying diagnosis and the ongoing requirement for this specialized feeding method.
Evidence that strengthens a claim
Strong claims rely on comprehensive medical records that detail the cause of your intestinal failure and the necessity of parenteral nutrition. You should provide operative reports if you have had bowel resections, along with imaging studies and biopsy results that confirm the extent of your small bowel disease or motility disorder.
Documentation from your gastroenterologist or nutrition specialist is essential to show the frequency and duration of your treatment. Records of hospitalizations related to complications like catheter-related infections or metabolic imbalances also help establish the severity of your condition and the impact it has on your ability to function in a workplace setting. An attorney can help you organize this evidence to support your claim.
How an attorney helps
A disability attorney helps by ensuring your medical records clearly link your intestinal failure to the specific requirements of Listing 5.07. They can assist in gathering detailed statements from your treating physicians that explain why your dependence on parenteral nutrition prevents you from sustaining full-time employment. By organizing your evidence and preparing your file, an attorney helps you present a complete picture of your health to the Social Security Administration.
Frequently asked questions
Short bowel syndrome can qualify under Listing 5.07 if it leads to intestinal failure that requires daily parenteral nutrition for at least 12 months. You must provide medical evidence documenting your diagnosis and the necessity of this nutritional support. An attorney can review your medical records to see if they meet the specific criteria the SSA requires.
The most critical evidence is documentation of your dependence on daily parenteral nutrition via a central venous catheter for a full year. You also need records from your specialists confirming the underlying cause of your intestinal failure, such as imaging or surgical reports. An attorney can help ensure your medical file contains all the necessary documentation to support your claim.
The SSA evaluates whether your condition and the required treatment prevent you from performing substantial gainful activity. The time and physical limitations associated with managing a central venous catheter and parenteral nutrition often make traditional work difficult. An attorney can evaluate your specific situation and explain how your treatment impacts your ability to work under SSA rules.
If your claim is denied, you have the right to appeal the decision through the reconsideration process and eventually a hearing before an ALJ. You must file your appeal within the specific deadlines provided in your denial notice. A disability attorney can help you identify why your claim was denied and prepare the necessary evidence for your appeal.
