Listing 14.09 · Immune system disorders

Inflammatory arthritis

To be approved under this listing, a claim must meet any one of the criteria below — and the medical records have to prove it.

  1. A

    Persistent inflammation/deformity of one or more major peripheral weight-bearing joints causing inability to ambulate, OR one or more major peripheral joints in each upper extremity causing inability to use both upper extremities.

    In plain terms: Has rheumatoid or other inflammatory arthritis caused major joint problems — leaving you unable to walk well or unable to use both arms?

    Evidence required:Lab panelTreating physician reportX-ray
  2. C

    Constitutional signs (severe fatigue, fever, malaise, or involuntary weight loss) and limitation of activities of daily living, social functioning, or completing tasks.

    In plain terms: Are you also having severe fatigue, low-grade fevers, or weight loss along with the disease — and is it limiting your daily life?

Read the official SSA text for Listing 14.09

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Estimate the odds

Historical approval rates for a claim like this — by state, age, and stage.

Approval odds by condition

How claims for this body system fare through the process.

Other immune system disorders listings

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE)Systemic vasculitisSystemic sclerosis (scleroderma)Polymyositis and dermatomyositisUndifferentiated and mixed connective tissue diseaseImmune deficiency disorders, excluding HIVHuman immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infectionSjögren syndromeSpecified immune-mediated disorders (e.g. IBD-immune)

Source: SSA Listing of Impairments (Blue Book), 20 CFR Part 404, Subpart P, Appendix 1 · Updated 2026-06-18. Criteria paraphrased for readability; see the official SSA text linked above. Not legal or medical advice — whether a specific medical record meets Listing 14.09 is an individualized judgment SSA makes on the evidence.