How to prove Neurological Disorders for claiming SSD benefits?
While several neurological disorders can be considered as medical disabilities, getting your claim approved by the social security administration (SSA) is not all that easy. The process is complex as much as it is intensive. Neurological disorders as classified by SSA are divided into sixteen categories. If you are a victim of a neurological disorder, it must be severe or serious to satisfy the SSA’s listing of impairments manual. It should also prevent you from a gainful employment activity. Once you have applied for disability benefits, your medical condition will be evaluated by a local neurologist who is approved by the SSA.
Categories of neurological disorders
Verification or supplementing to your medical notes will be done by him. Convulsive epilepsy, non – convulsive epilepsy, central nervous vascular accident, brain tumors, Parkinsonian Syndrome, cerebral palsy, nerve root or spinal cord lesions, multiple sclerosis, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, anterior poliomyelitis, myasthenia gravis, muscular dystrophy, peripheral neuropathies, subacute combined cord degeneration, cerebral trauma and syringomyelia. When you possess the inability to work for a period of twelve months consecutively due to one of the above listed neurological disorder, you become eligible for SSD benefits.
Qualifying criteria across categories
Convulsive epilepsy: This condition needs to be documented by means of a comprehensive description of a seizure pattern and includes all related occurrences. Such seizures must happen at least twice every month in spite of three earlier months of treatment. Claimant should undergo loss of consciousness and passing postictal manifestations of unconventional response interfering with routine activity.
Non-convulsive epilepsy: In this case, seizures should occur at least twice every week in spite of earlier three months of treatment. The other symptoms in this case are similar to the earlier condition.
Central nervous system vascular accident: Communication or speech becomes ineffective or there is an unrelenting and considerable disorganization of the motor function. This should have resulted in disturbance of motion, station or gait.
These symptoms qualify for nerve root or spinal cord lesions, muscular dystrophy, peripheral neuropathies and subacute combined cord degeneration as well.
Benign brain tumor: Brain tumor evaluations are based on the duration and severity of impairment to handle routine activities.
Other disorders: Qualifying symptoms of Parkinsonian syndrome include tremor in two extremities, bradykinesia and considerable rigidity. Similarly for cerebral palsy, motor function disorganization, emotional instability and an IQ of 70 or lesser are the symptoms.
Claimants should obtain adequate documentation for multiple sclerosis that include mental or visual impairment, motor function disorganization in two extremities and considerable motor function fatigue with substantial exhaustion because of repeated activity.
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: This is a fatal and progressive condition that attacks nerve cells which are responsible for control of voluntary muscles. Ability to move legs and arms and the ability to breath, speak and swallow eventually start fading away.
Qualifying symptoms for anterior poliomyelitis include unintelligible speech, consistent difficulty in swallowing and breathing. For myasthenia gravis, signs are motor weakness of muscles and difficulty in speaking and breathing. Specific symptoms are listed for cerebral trauma and syringomyelia also. Your disability attorney can effectively represent you in such claims.
