What If You Do Not Meet Or Equal A Listing
If the SSA does not find that you have an impairment severe enough to meet or equal a listing, you may still be found disabled at another step in the disability determination process. Although the medical evidence alone may not be enough to establish disability, the SSA will continue its evaluation by assessing your functional capacity for work and by considering your age, education, and work experience.
An Overview Of Work Credit Requirements For Ssdi
The Social Security Administration says that you generally need at least 40 work credits over your lifetime to qualify for Social Security benefits at retirement. However, the number of credits required to qualify for SSDI varies by age. You do not want to assume that you lack the right amount of work credits based on the facts of another persons situation. We can use the following scenario to explain the work credit system.
Suppose you worked with a 50-year-old man who became too ill to work because of Parkinsons disease, and he had only worked at a job that paid into Social Security for 5 years. You can earn up to 4 work credits a year. In this situation, your coworker would only have 20 work credits, and likely would not qualify for benefits.
If you worked at the same place of employment for 5 years and became disabled, you might assume that you do not have enough work credit but that assumption could be incorrect. For example, if youre 35 years old, you would only need 20 work credits to qualify for SSDI benefits. Again, your age and how long and how recently you worked a job that paid into Social Security will determine how many work credits you need to apply for SSDI.
How A Lawyer Can Help You
If you need help navigating the process of filing a claim for Social Security disability benefits youre not alone.
An experienced attorney who specializes in Social Security disability cases can answer your questions, give you advice, and help you through the claims process.
A good attorney can also help you figure out what medical evidence you should be submitting with your claim. Youre not supposed to be great at filing for disability benefits.
But an attorney who has worked on disability cases can help you through the process of filing a claim for disability benefits and give you the best chance at getting your claim for benefits approved the first time.
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What If I Dont Match The Listing
If you do not match the above description, dont panic. You may still be able to qualify through other means. In fact, because the Listings requirements are often so complex, most disability claimants are approved not by matching the Listing, but by qualifying for a medical-vocational allowance. If you qualify with a medical-vocational allowance, it means that your condition dramatically interferes with your ability to perform work, even though you dont necessarily match the relevant description in the Listing.
Additionally, claimants who have been diagnosed with ALS Parkinsonism Dementia Complex, also known as Lytico-Bodig Disease, may be eligible for a special program called Compassionate Allowances . Claimants with CAL conditions receive the same disability payments as non-CAL applicants, but are eligible for significantly expedited claims processing. Instead of waiting months or more, CAL claimants can receive an answer in just a few weeks.
How Do I Qualify For Ssdi With Parkinsons Disease
The SSA might not approve your SSDI application for your Parkinsons Disease diagnosis alone. Many people continue working for years after receiving the news. To win your claim, you need to provide medication documentation as evidence that your symptoms are severe and prevent you from working. Its a good idea to have your doctor record your symptoms as they progress, so you have documentation if your disease renders you disabled.
The SSA requires Disability applicants to meet the qualifications laid out in your disease listing in their Blue Book. Parkinson patients must meet the following requirements to qualify for SSDI payments:
- Loss of motor function in two extremities that severely limit the ability to use the upper extremities, stand from a seated position, or balance while walking or standing
Or marked physical function limitations combined with one of the following:
- Remembering, understanding, or applying information
- Persisting, concentrating, or maintaining pace
- Interacting with others
- Managing oneself or adapting to change
Read Also: Stage 5 Parkinson’s Disease Life Expectancy
Can You Get Ssi Or Ssdi With Parkinsons Disease
When making disability determinations, SSA medical examiners refer to a massive document called the Listing of Impairments, or Blue Book, which describes medical standards for hundreds of different conditions and illnesses. The Listing is divided into 14 sections by body system affected, with each section further broken down by specific disability. The Listing refers to Parkinsons Disease as Parkinsonian Syndrome, which can be located under Section 11.00 at 11.06.
While many disability listings in the Blue Book are notoriously detailed and packed with medical jargon, the description for Parkinsons is fairly straightforward. In order to qualify based on Blue Book standards, claimants citing Parkinsons Disease should exhibit the following:
Significant rigidity, bradykinesia, or tremor in two extremities, which, singly or in combination, result in sustained disturbance of gross and dexterous movements, or gait and station.
Translated into simpler terms, this means you should have significant stiffness, trembling, or slow movements in at least two of your limbs. This stiffness, trembling, or slow movement should continually interfere with your ability to use your hands, or with your ability to walk and move about with ease.
How Social Security Defines Disability
While the specific definition of disability for Social Security purposes is in the law itself, here is SSAs plain language description:
We consider you disabled under Social Security rules if, due to a medical or mental condition:
- You cannot do work that you did before and we decide that you cannot adjust to other work because of your condition, and
- Your disability is expected to last for at least one year or to result in death.
Content for this section provided by Mark Rubin, J.D.
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How The Blue Book Influences Your Disability Claim
The Blue Book is designed to clarify the medical information and evidence needed to proceed with a disability claim, with the goal being to prove that you are fully disabled according to the guidelines provided. The criteria in the Blue Book can help you understand what you need to support your disability claim, thus improving your odds of being approved for benefits.
If you have already applied and your claim has been denied, you can refer to the Blue Book to learn more about your conditions criterion. Details such as the severity of impairment, which tests are needed to confirm an accurate diagnosis, and additional evidence needed can all be derived from the Blue Book.
That said, the SSAs Blue Book wasnt written for the public, so it can be technical and complicated. Working with a disability attorney and/or your physician two parties who are well-versed in the SSAs Blue Book terminology can improve your chances of being awarded disability benefits.
What Is This Blue Book
The Blue Books official title is Disability Evaluation Under Social Security, and it contains a wealth of information about disabling impairments and the SSAs criteria to help those applying for benefits. It covers a lot of the recommended medical evidence, as well, and it can be extremely helpful.
Its available online, is updated regularly, and a hardcopy version of the book exists, too.
In order to know if you qualify for the benefits for your disability, checking the Blue Book listings might help. It is extremely technical, however, and many people may find it confusing and difficult to understand. A conversation with a disability advocate, or a representative from the SSA may be helpful.
Another important thing to understand is that a person can still be found disabled by the SSA and qualify for benefits, even if their medical impairments are not in the Blue Book. When evaluating an applicants claim, they will be looking to see if the applicants medical conditions meet or equal one of the listings. Even beyond that, there are still additional ways to qualify for disability benefits.
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Ssdi For Parkinsons Disease Use Ssa Listing 1106 To Qualify
Was your Social Security Disability Insurance claim for Parkinsons disease denied? If so, do not give up hope. There are ways we can help you prove your claim and win the benefits you need.
The nervous system disorder Parkinsonian Syndrome, commonly known as Parkinsons disease is generally recognized as the condition that makes peoples hands shake. But if you or someone you love suffers from the illness, you know it goes far deeper than that.
Certainly there are tremors, but Parkinsons disease can also impact a persons ability to write and speak. It can cause muscles to go rigid so range of motion is decreased. It may be difficult to maintain balance or stand up straight, and any movement often takes far longer than it would for an unafflicted person.
In the beginning stages, many of these symptoms are fairly mild, but as the disease progresses, they intensify, making it difficult to live a normal life. For most people, work is impossible, so the SSA has chosen to recognize Parkinsons disease as a condition that can qualify you for Social Security disability benefits.
How The Blue Book Can Help You With Your Social Security Claim With Parkinsons
Parkinsons disease is a progressive disease that will make it difficult if not impossible to work. If you have been diagnosed with Parkinsons you can file a claim for Social Security disability benefits so that you will have the money you need to pay for essentials like housing and food.
Before your claim can be approved you will have to submit medical proof of your condition to the SSA. You will need show through your medical records that you meet the SSAs requirements to qualify for benefits due to Parkinsons.
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Proving Parkinsons Disease Is Just As Severe As Any Other Disability
Remember that matching a Listing isnt the only way to qualify for SSDI for Parkinsons disease. You can also attempt to prove that your Parkinsons disease is just as disabling as something the SSA has already recognized and included in the Listings this is known as proving equivalency. As in, your condition is equivalent to a disability even though it doesnt directly match the requirements for one.
In this case, you must follow a Five-Step Sequential Evaluation process the SSA uses to decide whether you are disabled.
Because this process is a bit more complex and complicated when compared to simply matching a Listing, you want a knowledgeable and experienced disability attorney on your side preferably one who has a track record of success in proving equivalency.
Together, your goal will be to use the Five Step Sequential Evaluation Process to prove to the SSA that you have been unable to work for 12 months or more because of your condition.
You must never give up. If you need assistance with your claim, or have been unfairly denied disability benefits, ask a lawyer who is Board Certified in Social Security Disability Law to help.
Find out what it takes to prevail in your SSD claim in our free ebook, The Social Security Disability Puzzle.
About Marc Whitehead
Applying For Disability Benefits For Parkinson’s Syndrome
To apply for benefits, call the SSA at 772-1213. The SSA will make an appointment for you to apply over the phone or at a local SSA office. You can also apply online at www.ssa.gov if you are applying for SSDI only . Once your application is complete, your file will be reviewed by an SSA claims examiner as well as by a doctor specially trained in SSA’s medical rules. They will request records from your doctors, send you questionnaires to complete, or ask you to attend an examination by a doctor that they hire. Once the evidence in your file is complete, a decision will be issued. On average this takes four to five months, but it could take much longer.
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About Citizens Disability Llc:
Since 2010, Citizens Disability has been Americas premier Social Security Disability institution. Our services include helping people in applying for SSDI benefits, managing the process through Reconsideration, and representing people in person at their Hearing, and if necessary, bringing their case to the Appeals Council. Our mission is to give a voice to the millions of Americans who are disabled and unable to work, helping them receive the Social Security Disability benefits to which they may be entitled. Learn more about us and disability benefits like SSDI & SSI or give us a call at 492-3260.
Does Parkinsons Disease Qualify Me For Disability Benefits
Parkinsons disease is discussed in the Social Security Administrations Blue Book listing of disabling conditions, in Section 11 under paragraph 11.06 .
If you have a diagnosis of Parkinsons disease that directly affects your work functions, you could very well receive SSDI benefits.
- That it rises to the level of a severe impairment, meaning it impacts your ability to do work
- That it, combined with any other impairments you may have, prevent you from sustaining work
- That it has affected you, or is expected to affect you, for at least one year .
If that is the case, then you may very well qualify for monthly disability benefits.
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Contact A Social Security Disability Attorney At 512
A neurologist will diagnose Parkinsons disease based on a patients medical history, a review of symptoms, and a neurological and physical examination. Four of the following symptoms must be present over a period of time to reach a diagnosis of Parkinsons disease:
- Shaking or tremors
- Stiffness in arms, legs or body
- Problems with balance and falling.
In addition to lab tests to eliminate other medical conditions which might be causing your symptoms, a doctor may order a dopamine transporter scan, a specific single-photon emission computerized tomography SPECT scan, and imaging tests such as MRIs, CT scans, PET scans and ultrasounds of the brain.
Even though these tests can provide evidence that a patient has Parkinsons disease, in the end an individuals symptoms and neurologic examination determine the diagnosis. It may take time to diagnose Parkinsons disease and your doctor may recommend regular follow-up appointments to monitor your symptoms and condition.
There is no cure for Parkinsons disease, but medications can control a patients symptoms and help manage walking, movement and tremors.
Also prescribed are:
- MAO B inhibitors to help prevent breakdown of dopamine in the brain
- Dopamine agonists that mimic dopamine in the brain
- Anticholinergics to help control tremors and
- Amantadine to provide short-term relief of symptoms in mild, early stage Parkinsons disease.
Qualifying For Benefits By Meeting Medical Listing 1106
One way to qualify for Social Security disability is to satisfy the specific requirements included in Section 11.06 of the Blue Book Listing of Impairments. If you have received medical treatment for Parkinson’s disease for at least three months, then you may qualify for benefits if one of the following is true:
- You suffer disorganization of motor function in two extremities resulting in an extreme limitation in your ability to stand up from a seated position, balance while standing or walking, or use your upper extremities.
- You have a marked limitation in physical functioning and one of the following: understanding, remembering, or applying information interacting with other people concentrating, persisting, or maintaining pace or adapting or managing yourself.
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How A Lawyer With Our Firm Can Help You Apply For Disability Benefits
An attorney from our firm can offer assistance as you prepare an application for Social Security disability benefits. We can help you determine whether you have enough work credits for SSDI or should apply for SSI benefits. The law does not require you to work with a lawyer on the application and evaluation process for disability benefits, but having someone guide you can make the process go smoother.
Every year, thousands of qualifying individuals are denied Social Security Disability benefits because of errors they made on their applications. Many people have to appeal a denial of benefits to get the assistance they need. Our team can help you avoid this costly mistake or represent you during your appeal if you have already received a denial.
Help My Impairment Isnt Listed
The Listings are not a complete list of the conditions for which disability benefits can be paid. For example, common conditions such as fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome, celiac disease, carpal tunnel syndrome, and chronic regional pain syndrome are not found in the Listings, yet disability benefits are routinely awarded in Chicago and throughout the nation for these and other conditions not found in the Listings. Anyone with a condition in the blue book should examine the criteria but they are cautioned to understand that the Listings represent the most serious and severe symptoms for a given disease.
If your condition is found in the Listings, yet does not meet the precise criteria set out, it is still possible for social security to make a favorable disability decision based upon the Listings by recognizing certain aspects of the condition as the medical equivalent of what is in the criteria for the specific condition concerned. This is referred to as equaling a listing. Usually equaling a listing is based upon the opinion of a medical professional. In essence the medical doctor finds as follows:
The listing for Schizophrenia requires A, B, C, and D. The claimant has A, F, and G which in my opinion is just as bad as the A, B, C, and D required by the Listing. There the claimant meets the Listing for Schizophrenia.
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