The term “disability” encompasses one or more organic or functional impairments that interferes with the
person's faculties such as senses, reasoning, or mobility. The impairments may be
physical or mental due to disease or result of an accident, or they may be congenital.
They may be obvious or they may be such that they can be revealed only by medical
examination. They may be static, progressive, exist singly or in combination.
The applicant must be PERMANENTLY and TOTALLY disabled by a major physical or mental
impairment (or combination of impairments) or disease which cannot conceivably respond
to any available medical treatment, and which condition will continue throughout the
lifetime of the individual. The impairment (disability) must prevent the individual
from engaging in any gainful work or employment, or for the homemaker the impairment
(disability) must prevent the person from carrying out her (his) homemaking responsibilities
for one or more persons other than herself (himself).
“Gainful work” or employment is work or employment (including self-employment) for which there is
a return in cash or kind. Gainful work will not include such activities as knitting,
crocheting, or other handiwork performed by severely disabled chairbound and housebound
persons which is sold by charitable neighbors or friends, or through church or charitable
organizations when income from such sale of articles is irregular and inconsequential.
The applicant may have a permanent and total disability which will prevent him from
following his usual occupation, but with long term therapy and job retraining, he
may eventually return to productive employment. Such cases will be considered if the
disability will last at least one year and the case will be reviewed periodically
by MRT.