Equaling a Listing: When Your Condition Is as Severe as a Listed One
TL;DR: If your condition doesn't meet every criterion of a Blue Book listing but is at least as severe, you can qualify at Step 3 by "equaling" the listing. There are three ways to equal: (1) your findings are at least equal in severity to the listed criteria, (2) you have a combination of findings that together equal the listing, or (3) your unlisted condition is medically equivalent to a listed one. Equaling requires strong medical evidence and often benefits from a medical expert opinion at hearing.
Three Ways to Equal a Listing
- Medical equivalence: Your findings are different from but at least as severe as the listing criteria
- Combined impairments: No single condition meets a listing, but together they equal one
- Unlisted condition: Your condition isn't in the Blue Book but matches the severity of a listed condition
Evidence Needed
Equaling a listing requires more evidence than meeting one, because you're asking the SSA to make a judgment call rather than checking boxes. Medical expert opinions, detailed physician statements, and comprehensive test results all help.
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