Social Security Disability for Strokes in Detroit
The physical and mental effects of a stroke often make it impossible to work again. If you or someone you love faces this situation, it can be scary, both emotionally and financially.
Not only are you likely dealing with sizable medical bills, you also have the added stress of losing an income stream.
Relief might be available, however, in the form of Social Security disability benefits for people who’ve suffered a stroke.
Social Security disability (SSD) gives you monthly checks and qualifies you for Medicare health insurance coverage.
Most people get denied at first, though. An experienced disability lawyer can make a difference in your claim.
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How Strokes Qualify You for Disability Benefits
People who’ve had strokes may qualify for disability benefits in two ways:
- Under Social Security’s specific list of impairments
- Under a Social Security mechanism for evaluating how your health prevents you from working
The Official Impairments List: The effects of your stroke might qualify under the Social Security Administration (SSA) “blue book” listing of impairments.
The blue book is the official guide the SSA uses when evaluating claims applications. You may qualify under the blue book listing if:
- You have difficulty speaking or communicating three months after your stroke; or
- You have “significant and persistent disorganization” of your motor functions in two of your extremities, making it hard for you to control your movements or to walk, sit or stand; or
- You experience ongoing vision problems after your stroke, if those vision problems are expected to last at least 12 months.
The Job Function Test: The second way you may qualify is by proving on your application, and through supporting medical documentation, that your stroke has severely limited your ability to work.
This is referred to as the “medical vocational allowance.”
Information You Need to Apply for Social Security Disability
When you apply for disability for strokes, you’ll need to provide a lot of information about your stroke and the symptoms you’re experiencing that make working impossible.
In addition to describing your condition and symptoms, you’ll need to provide medical information, including dates and descriptions of treatment you’ve received, medical providers you’ve seen and any tests those providers have ordered.
You can submit your own copies of medical documentation. You also can authorize the SSA to contact your doctors and other providers directly to get records of your treatment.
You’ll need to submit information about your work history, training and education. You’ll need to describe how your stroke has limited your ability to handle normal daily activities at home.
Get Help Applying for Disability Benefits after a Stroke
It’s easy to become overwhelmed by the sheer volume of information you need to provide after a stroke. But you can get help from an experienced disability lawyer.
Statistically, the chances of your application for disability benefits being approved are higher if you have professional representation than if you apply on your own.
You also should apply for benefits as soon as possible after your stroke, when it becomes clear the effects will make it impossible for you to keep working.
Attorneys who routinely handle these cases understand the application and review process. With detailed knowledge of both the Social Security disability system and strokes, an attorney can help you submit the information you need for Social Security to make a well-informed decision.
At Levine Benjamin Law Firm, we’ve been helping people win benefits since 1964. In fact, we’ve helped more than 80,000 people , including people who experienced strokes and many other physical or mental health impairments.
Contact us today for a FREE consultation, so you can find out if the effects of your stroke might qualify you for benefits.
From applying to appealing, we help you every step of the way.