Examples of Impairments Covered Under ADA

Overview
The ADA statute and regulations do not include a fixed list of covered conditions. The examples below are common conditions that may be covered when the individual meets the other elements of the definition.

Case-by-case analysis
Assess every individual case by case. There is no one-size-fits-all rule for what qualifies. To qualify, the person must have an impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities. Court decisions and EEOC guidance can shift over time.

Examples of impairments that may be covered

• HIV and AIDS
• Brain tumors
• Severe accident trauma
• Migraines
• Certain mental health disorders and psychological disorders
• Specific learning disabilities
• Intellectual disability (formerly called "mental retardation"; terminology updated by Rosa's Law, Pub. L. 111-256 (2010))
• Organic brain syndrome
• Epilepsy
• Diabetes
• Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
• Multiple sclerosis
• Cancer
• Hypertension
• Asthma
• Heart disease

Key sources

• 42 U.S.C. § 12102 (definition of disability)
• 29 CFR § 1630.2 (EEOC regulations)
• Rosa's Law, Pub. L. 111-256 (2010) ("intellectual disability" terminology)