Strokes affect more than 795,000 annually in the United States and are a leading cause of long-term disability caused by physical and mental impairments. If a stroke leaves you unable to work, financial assistance may be available in the form of stroke disability benefits through the Supplemental Security Income (SSI) and Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) programs administered by the Social Security Administration (SSA).
The process used by the SSA to determine eligibility for stroke disability benefits and the requirements you need to meet are complicated and confusing. Fewer than one-third of people who submit applications for disability benefits through SSI and SSDI are approved for benefits during the initial review process. However, a stroke disability benefits lawyer with Disability Partners, PLLC, helping with an application or appeal of a denial of benefits could make a difference.
The oxygen-rich blood that your brain needs to properly function can be affected by a blockage of the blood supply flowing to it or by a burst blood vessel within the brain. When this occurs, it causes cells of the brain to die within minutes. Stroke symptoms include:
The signs that someone is having a stroke may turn out to be long-term disabling condition. Stroke victims may also develop depression, paralysis and other medical conditions causing or contributing to stroke disability. Unless a person exhibiting symptoms of a stroke is promptly diagnosed and treated, the damage to the brain can be extensive and cause permanent damage or result in death.
In order to determine whether a stroke disability qualifies you for SSI or SSDI benefits, Social Security uses a five-step disability determination process to determine whether you are disabled and eligible for stroke disability benefits. One step in the process uses the Listing of Impairments, which contains medical conditions the SSA considers as automatically meeting the disability requirements to qualify for stroke disability benefits.
Vascular insult to the brain, which is included as section 11.04 of the Listing of Impairments, is the listing most frequently used to qualify someone for SSI or SSDI after a stroke. However, your stroke disability benefits lawyer may, upon reviewing your medical records, determine that other listings also may apply. For example, section 2.00 of the listings is for impairments related to special senses and speech, which may apply when your vision or ability to speak are impaired by a stroke.
Even if you have an impairment that is not included in the listings, you still may qualify for stroke disability benefits using your residual functional capacity (RFC). Your RFC is a measure of your ability to engage in work-related activities with the physical or mental health limitations caused by a stroke.
A stroke disability lawyer at Disability Partners, PLLC, will help you prepare an application for stroke disability benefits that meets the strict eligibility requirements of the Social Security review process. If you applied and were denied benefits, we can challenge it through the disability appeal process. Contact us today for a free consultation and case review.