| Speech Impairments & Disability Benefits |
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If you (or your loved one) suffer from disabling Speech Disorder or
Impairment and can no longer speak well enough to work a full time work
week, I would be happy to help you obtain your rightful Disability Benefits.
You may be eligible for Social Security Disability benefits, even if you will
eventually recover.
Form (see Tab, on Left Hand Navigation), calling me at 201-317-0610 or
emailing SsiHelp@ptd.net or sojlaw@ptd.net.
Impairment and can no longer speak well enough to work a full time work
week, I would be happy to help you obtain your rightful Disability Benefits.
You may be eligible for Social Security Disability benefits, even if you will
eventually recover.
Form (see Tab, on Left Hand Navigation), calling me at 201-317-0610 or
emailing SsiHelp@ptd.net or sojlaw@ptd.net.
| Speech Impairments and Disability? |
reduce our capacity to perform the necessary tasks to be able to fulfill job
requirements on a full time basis. The SSA has a Ruling known as SSR
82-57 which helps explain how and when speech can be disabling under the
SSA definition:
SSR 82-57: TITLES II AND XVI: LOSS OF SPEECH
PURPOSE: To state the policy and describe the necessary elements
for the evaluation of organic loss of speech when determining
disability under titles II and XVI of the Social Security Act.
CITATIONS (AUTHORITY): Sections 223(d), 216(i), and 1614(a) of the
Social Security Act, as amended; Regulations No. 4, Subpart P,
section 404.1525, and Appendix 1, Part A, sections 2.00.B.3, 2.09 and
11.00-11.19; and Regulations No. 16, Subpart I, section 416.925.
INTRODUCTION: Regardless of the cause of organic loss of speech,
disability occurs when the individual is unable, by any means, to
produce speech which can be heard, understood, and sustained.
This policy statement explains in detail how loss of speech is to be
evaluated. Functional loss of speech is addressed in sections
2.00.B.3 and 2.09 of the Listing of Impairments. Neurological
disorders resulting in loss of speech are evaluated under sections
11.00-11.19. (Note: Medical criteria for evaluating impairments for
children under age 18 are generally contained in Part B of the
Listing. When a particular impairment is not included in the
"childhood listings," it should be evaluated under Part A of the
Listing).
POLICY STATEMENT: Ordinarily, when an individual's impairment
prevents effective speech, the loss of function is sufficiently
severe so that an allowance under Listing 2.09 is justified on the
basis of medical considerations alone, unless such a finding is
rebutted by work activity. To speak effectively, an individual must be
able to produce speech that can be heard, understood, and
sustained well enough to permit useful communication in social and
vocational settings. These criteria are applicable to the production
of speech whether by natural function of the voice mechanism or by
the use of a prosthetic device.
Three attributes of speech pertinent to the evaluation of speech
proficiency are: (1) audibility -- the ability to speak at a level
sufficient to be heard; (2) intelligibility -- the ability to articulate and
to link the phonetic units of speech with sufficient accuracy to be
understood; and (3) functional efficiency -- the ability to produce
and sustain a serviceably fast rate of speech output over a useful
period of time. When at least one of these attributes is missing,
overall speech function is not considered effective.
When a refined assessment of speech proficiency is necessary, it
should be made by an otolaryngologist or a speech therapist whose
evaluation should be based both on personally listening to the
claimant's speech and on a history of the claimant's performance in
everyday living. The findings should be sufficient to provide the
reviewer with a clear picture of the individual's speech capacity.
Such an analysis covering the attributes of speech discussed above
would include a detailed description of the following points:
1. The intensity of speech (audibility) -- the conditions under which
the individual can and cannot be heard (e.g., in quiet surroundings,
noisy places, a moving automobile); the maximum distance at which
individuals can be heard; whether their voices tend to become
inaudible, and if so, after how long;
2. The ability to articulate (intelligibility) -- the frequency of any
difficulties with pronunciation, the extent to which the individual is
asked to repeat, how well he or she is understood by strangers
unaccustomed to hearing esophageal speech; and
3. The rate of speech and the degree of ease with which the
individual's speech flows (functional efficiency) -- how long he or
she is able to sustain consecutive speech; the number of words
spoken without interruption or hesitancy; whether he or she
appears fatigued, and if so, after how long.
If medical considerations alone are not determinative of the issue of
disability for a title II worker or childhood disability claimant or for a
title XVI claimant age 18 or older, consider the individual's
vocational factors (age, education, training and work experience) as
these factors relate to the ability to perform past relevant work or
any other work.
EFFECTIVE DATE: The policy explained herein was effective on
August 20, 1980, the date the regulations covering the basic policy
in the subject area were effective (45 FR 55566).
CROSS-REFERENCE: Program Operations Manual System, section DI
2202.
requirements on a full time basis. The SSA has a Ruling known as SSR
82-57 which helps explain how and when speech can be disabling under the
SSA definition:
SSR 82-57: TITLES II AND XVI: LOSS OF SPEECH
PURPOSE: To state the policy and describe the necessary elements
for the evaluation of organic loss of speech when determining
disability under titles II and XVI of the Social Security Act.
CITATIONS (AUTHORITY): Sections 223(d), 216(i), and 1614(a) of the
Social Security Act, as amended; Regulations No. 4, Subpart P,
section 404.1525, and Appendix 1, Part A, sections 2.00.B.3, 2.09 and
11.00-11.19; and Regulations No. 16, Subpart I, section 416.925.
INTRODUCTION: Regardless of the cause of organic loss of speech,
disability occurs when the individual is unable, by any means, to
produce speech which can be heard, understood, and sustained.
This policy statement explains in detail how loss of speech is to be
evaluated. Functional loss of speech is addressed in sections
2.00.B.3 and 2.09 of the Listing of Impairments. Neurological
disorders resulting in loss of speech are evaluated under sections
11.00-11.19. (Note: Medical criteria for evaluating impairments for
children under age 18 are generally contained in Part B of the
Listing. When a particular impairment is not included in the
"childhood listings," it should be evaluated under Part A of the
Listing).
POLICY STATEMENT: Ordinarily, when an individual's impairment
prevents effective speech, the loss of function is sufficiently
severe so that an allowance under Listing 2.09 is justified on the
basis of medical considerations alone, unless such a finding is
rebutted by work activity. To speak effectively, an individual must be
able to produce speech that can be heard, understood, and
sustained well enough to permit useful communication in social and
vocational settings. These criteria are applicable to the production
of speech whether by natural function of the voice mechanism or by
the use of a prosthetic device.
Three attributes of speech pertinent to the evaluation of speech
proficiency are: (1) audibility -- the ability to speak at a level
sufficient to be heard; (2) intelligibility -- the ability to articulate and
to link the phonetic units of speech with sufficient accuracy to be
understood; and (3) functional efficiency -- the ability to produce
and sustain a serviceably fast rate of speech output over a useful
period of time. When at least one of these attributes is missing,
overall speech function is not considered effective.
When a refined assessment of speech proficiency is necessary, it
should be made by an otolaryngologist or a speech therapist whose
evaluation should be based both on personally listening to the
claimant's speech and on a history of the claimant's performance in
everyday living. The findings should be sufficient to provide the
reviewer with a clear picture of the individual's speech capacity.
Such an analysis covering the attributes of speech discussed above
would include a detailed description of the following points:
1. The intensity of speech (audibility) -- the conditions under which
the individual can and cannot be heard (e.g., in quiet surroundings,
noisy places, a moving automobile); the maximum distance at which
individuals can be heard; whether their voices tend to become
inaudible, and if so, after how long;
2. The ability to articulate (intelligibility) -- the frequency of any
difficulties with pronunciation, the extent to which the individual is
asked to repeat, how well he or she is understood by strangers
unaccustomed to hearing esophageal speech; and
3. The rate of speech and the degree of ease with which the
individual's speech flows (functional efficiency) -- how long he or
she is able to sustain consecutive speech; the number of words
spoken without interruption or hesitancy; whether he or she
appears fatigued, and if so, after how long.
If medical considerations alone are not determinative of the issue of
disability for a title II worker or childhood disability claimant or for a
title XVI claimant age 18 or older, consider the individual's
vocational factors (age, education, training and work experience) as
these factors relate to the ability to perform past relevant work or
any other work.
EFFECTIVE DATE: The policy explained herein was effective on
August 20, 1980, the date the regulations covering the basic policy
in the subject area were effective (45 FR 55566).
CROSS-REFERENCE: Program Operations Manual System, section DI
2202.
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