Amputation of a leg can occur due a various causes such as traumatic injuries from traffic accidents, military combat, cancer,, poor blood supply or infections. Following surgery, an individual is fitted with an artificial limb called a prosthesis. The ability to get a good fit for the prosthesis is critical and involves multiple visits to ensure the fit is not too tight or loose.
If despite multiple attempts a good fit cannot be accomplished due to skin breakdown and possible ulcer formations at the stump, one’s ability to walk is severely affected. According to social security rules, your impairment(medical condition) must last at least one year. When applying for social security benefits, the state disability office will attempt to gather all your medical records pertaining to your amputation. This will state your progress or lack of progress in your ability to wear a prosthesis enabling you to walk.
If you have persistent problems with healing of your stump causing an inability to wear a prosthesis, this will result in you getting social security benefits due to the fact that you cannot walk effectively. They define an inablility to ambulate effectively as meaning an extreme limitation of ability to walk and carry out activities of daily living such as shopping, banking and using public transportation and requiring the use of a walker or crutches.