Is Crohn's Disease an Automatic Disability by Law?

Crohn’s disease is an inflammatory bowel disease. The swelling and inflammation of the intestines cause pain and diarrhea. Medication and diet control Crohn’s disease in some patients, while others require surgery.

Legal Disabilities

• There are no laws about what conditions are and are not considered disabilities. Social Security has certain rules about what conditions are eligible for disability benefits and short-term disability insurance policies all have their own rules.

How Disabling Is Crohn’s Disease?

• Symptoms vary in severity from person to person. Some have minimal pain and occasional diarrhea while others have frequent severe pain and regularly have diarrhea.

Short-Term Disability Insurance

• Short-term disability insurance policies provide coverage for people that are temporarily disabled by a medical problem, including Crohn’s disease. The guidelines vary from policy to policy, though.

Social Security

• If your Crohn’s disease prevents you from working and your doctor says you will be unable to work for at least one year, you can apply for Social Security disability. Most people with Crohn’s disease are able to work, however.

The Americans With Disabilities Act

• The Americans with Disabilities Act requires employers to make reasonable accommodations for employees with disabilities. Most people with Crohn’s disease will not require workplace accommodations, but if you need some sort of accommodations you should talk to your employer about your needs.