The Social Security Administration (SSA) provides disability benefits to individuals with neurological disorders. Applying for disability is complex and time-consuming, and the SSA routinely denies valid claims. By working with an experienced Texas disability attorney, you can obtain the benefits you need and deserve.
At the Law Office of Carey Thompson, PC, we regularly assist clients in the Dallas Fort-Worth area with obtaining disability benefits. We understand the challenges of being unable to work due to a disability and are here to guide you through the claims process. We offer free consultations and will charge no attorney fees until we win benefits for you. Contact our El Paso office today to learn how we can help.
Neurological Disorders Eligible For Disability
The SSA maintains a list of neurological disorders that may qualify an applicant for disability. Specific conditions covered by the SSA include:
- Epilepsy
- Parkinson’s disease
- Multiple sclerosis
- Muscular dystrophy
- ALS/Lou Gehrig’s disease
- Brain injuries
- Brain tumors
- Nerve damage
Neurological problems not only affect the brain but also occur in the nervous system and spinal cord. Because the brain, spinal cord, and nerves control the major body functions, a neurological disorder or disease can severely impact a person’s ability to work and perform daily routines, such as standing, walking, bending, and lifting.
How Our Disability Attorney Can Help
It takes an attorney with knowledge of Social Security disability law who understands the evidence the SSA needs to help you get the benefits you need and deserve. Our firm has extensive experience assisting clients with disability claims, including those related to neurological disorders.
When you work with us, we will guide you through all aspects of the claims process and protect your rights. Although the SSA frequently denies many initial disability claims, working with an experienced disability attorney increases the likelihood of a positive outcome. You can trust our team to stand by you every step of the way, offering your compassionate representation and caring, efficient service.
Medical Evidence of Neurological Disorders
Your medical records must include evidence of symptoms that match your diagnosis, such as:
- Cognitive problems
- Confusion
- Speech disorders
- Movement restrictions
- Visual impairment
- Paralysis
You must also provide medical evidence that supports your claim. For neurological disorders, such evidence includes MRIs, a spinal tap, blood tests, mental and physical exams, and records of extensive treatment for your particular impairment.
Additionally, you must prove that the condition limits your work capacity. This may include difficulties with physical tasks such as sitting, standing, and walking or mental functions including focus and concentration.
The SSA’s Review Process For Neurological Disorders
The SSA will review your claim and determine whether your condition matches the qualifying list of impairments (the Blue Book). This includes assessing your medical records, doctor’s opinion, and supporting statements from you, your family, and your coworkers. The SSA will also evaluate your work history to determine whether you can work despite your limitations.
However, many claimants have neurological disorders that do not meet the specific requirements of the listed impairments. In that case, the SSA will consider whether a claimant qualifies based on their “Residual Functional Capacity” (RFC).
The RFC measures how much the claimant can do despite the limitations imposed by their neurological disorder or disease. By evaluating your RFC, the SSA will decide whether you can perform your job or any other work. In short, you qualify for benefits if your RFC shows you cannot work.
What If The SSA Denies My Disability Claim?
Over 60 percent of initial disability claims are denied, often due to a lack of proper medical documentation. So your medical record is the most important evidence you can provide to the SSA. If the agency denies your claim, you must file a request for reconsideration within 60 days of receiving a denial notice.
At this stage, a disability examiner and medical consultant who were not involved in the initial review will reconsider your claim. If they deny your request, the next step is to ask for a disability hearing within 60 days of the denial. That is an informal meeting with an Administrative Law Judge (ALJ).
Then the judge – an SSA attorney – will review the case, ask you questions about your disability, hear testimony from expert witnesses, and issue a ruling within 60-to-120 days of the hearing date. If the ALJ denies your claim, the next step is to request a review by the Appeals Council that will make one of the following determinations:
- Overturn the decision
- Send it back to the ALJ for reconsideration
- Affirm the ALJ’s decision
If the Appeals Council denies your claim, we will advise you of your options. You can depend on us to stand by through every phase of the appeals process, fighting to protect your rights.
Contact Our Experienced Texas Disability Attorney
At The Law Office of Carey Thompson, PC, we know that neurological disorders can be severely debilitating and will work hard to get you the benefits you deserve. Contact us today to get started or to appeal a prior SSA decision.
The Law Office of Carey Thompson helps people with disability claims in El Paso, Dallas-Fort Worth, and all of Texas.