Fibromyalgia
Disability for Fibromyalgia in Detroit
Fibromyalgia can change everything about your life—even if your outward appearance stays the same.
Symptoms like these dominate your days:
- Pain all over your body
- Exhaustion
- Stiffness
- Digestive problems
- Mood swings
- Sleep problems
Some people with fibromyalgia report having to navigate the world in a “fibro fog.”
If you can’t work because of fibromyalgia, you’re also facing financial disaster. But there’s something you can do. Apply for Social Security Disability benefits.
Benefits come with monthly checks, qualify you for Medicare health coverage and ease the stress in your life.
You just need to prove your case. That’s where an experienced lawyer from Levine Benjamin Law Firm can help.
What would you like to do?
Challenges of Fibromyalgia
One of the many challenges of fibromyalgia is that it has no obvious, visible cause, like an injury or illness. And you don’t look any different to others, which causes some people to question the pain you’re feeling—even Social Security Disability claims examiners.
Compared to pain most people experience, yours is much more intense. You’re highly sensitive to pain. Situations that shouldn’t be painful can hurt you badly. Seemingly minor injuries ache for months.
Doctors know that your chances of getting fibromyalgia increase if you have lupus or rheumatoid arthritis. But they don’t know what causes of fibromyalgia.
One thing is certain: It can affect your ability to work.
If you can prove that to Social Security, you can win benefits to help you manage your life with fibromyalgia.
How to Prove Fibromyalgia to Social Security
Medical documentation is at the core of proving your fibromyalgia disability case.
You’ll need to present records showing that you experience symptoms like these:
- Full-body pain lasting three months or more
- Tender spots on your body
- Stiffness
- Numbness or tingling
- Chronic fatigue
- Headaches, including migraines
- Problems with thinking and memory (“fibro fog”)
- Poor sleep
- Depression and anxiety
- Irritable bowel syndrome
In terms of the type of evidence you need in order to prove you’re struggling with these symptoms, Social Security looks for “objective medical evidence.” This includes:
- Medical records from evaluations by doctors
- Records of medical treatments you’ve undergone
- Documentation of additional treatments, such as psychological evaluation
- Statements from people who know you, like friends, family, neighbors or your employer, providing another perspective on how fibromyalgia has affected your life.
It’s a lot of work to track down all these records and properly submit them to Social Security. A lawyer can take care of that, so you can take care of yourself.
What Should You Do If Social Security Denies Your Claim?
When you were counting on Social Security Disability benefits to help make ends meet after a diagnosis of fibromyalgia, it feels devastating to get denied disability benefits.
But most people get denied. You should appeal.
Don’t wait. You have 60 days to file your appeal.
While other people doubt you, at Levine Benjamin we understand what you’re going through with fibromyalgia.
We can help you navigate the appeals process, including going to a hearing with a disability judge to reverse the decision to deny your benefits.
Levine Benjamin has helped more than 80,000 people win Social Security Disability benefits in Toledo, Traverse City and across Michigan and Ohio.
From applying to appealing, we help you every step of the way.