Invisible Medical Conditions And Social Security
If you are unable to work at your job because of an illness or as the result of a serious injury, you may be entitled to Social Security benefits. Some people may be surprised to learn the extent of coverage for injuries that are not always visible to others. Mental issues like anxiety, depression and more are just as debilitating as physical injuries, and just like physical illnesses mental disorders can prevent you from doing your job. You should know, however, that the normally rigorous process that everyone must go through to be approved for Social Security benefits could prove even more challenging for those suffering from mental disorders. Read on to learn more about getting coverage for problems that are all too visible to you.
Showing Proof: No matter what medical condition you suffer from, proving to the Social Security Administration (SSA) how it affects your ability to do your job is vital to getting your claim approved. Just as with a physical disorder, you must show that you sought help for your issue, that you are following a mental health professional's treatment guidelines and that your are continuing treatment. Dealing with mental disorders can be extremely challenging, but if you are going to be approved for benefits you must be in treatment and be ready to provide proof of that treatment to the SSA. In most cases, your medical records will be needed by the SSA to confirm your disability.
Decompensation and What It Means to Your Disability Claim
If you have never heard of this big word, you should try to become familiar with it. The SSA uses this term to describe how your mental health disorder symptoms are preventing you from doing the work that you were previously doing. For example, one of the functions of your job involves speaking before a crowd and you have performed this function without any problems for months or even years. Once you began to suffer from severe anxiety, however, you can no longer stand before an audience and speak. This change in the manner that you are able to do some facet of your work is considered decompensation by the SSA. While decompensation is not a specific requirement of qualification for proving your disability, if your treatment record holds evidence of this issue it could strengthen your claim
If your claim is denied, you should not just give up. Many claims are not approved at first and all claimants have an opportunity to have their claims reconsidered at an appeal hearing. Speak to a social security attorney, like one from The Nelson Law Firm LLC, for help and support during your appeal process.