Paralysis can be a life-altering injury. The road back to full health depends on how well your body recovers and how much work you are willing to put in for adapting to living with a paralyzed part of the body.
Although some paralysis patients make a full recovery, many others have to deal with the health consequences of compromised motor functions. Since paralysis can keep you out of work for several months, you should file a claim for Social Security disability benefits.
Here are the five signs you may be approved for disability benefits.
You Need a Certain Number of Work Credits
The first sign that your claim for disability benefits may be approved with paralysis is you have accumulated enough work credits. In 2021, earning $1,470 gets you one work credit.
If you earn $5,880, the Social Security Administration (SSA) awards you four work credits. How many work credits you need to qualify for Social Security disability benefits depends on your age at the time you began to develop the symptoms of paralysis.
Submit Persuasive Evidence
The SSA wants to see overwhelming evidence that paralysis has forced you out of work. Although the visible sign of paralysis is easy to detect, you should send the SSA the results of several diagnostic tests.
X-rays present detailed images of the bones and muscles to detect any abnormalities. CT scans combine numerous images of the body that cross different sections.
MRIs operate by using a computer, radio waves, and a large magnet to produce clear images of the body. All three diagnostic tools, along with your visible loss of motor control, might be enough evidence for you to get approved for financial assistance.
Missed Work for 12 Consecutive Months
Getting disability benefits approved for paralysis requires you to be out of work for 12 consecutive months. Since paralysis symptoms can improve over time because of the effort you put into rehabilitation, you might not achieve the 12-month milestone.
If you have missed 12 consecutive months because of paralysis, make sure to collect and organize the time records kept by your employer to demonstrate you have not received any wages over the past 12 months.
Meet the Medical Guidelines Established by the SSA
The SSA refers to a medical guide called the Blue Book to determine eligibility for Social Security disability benefits with paralysis. Paralysis lists under Section 11.00 of the Blue Book, but you have to do more than prove that you suffer from paralysis.
You also need to convince a team of medical examiners at the SSA that your symptoms meet the severity standards set by the federal agency.
For example, violent tremors and uncontrollable shaking that lasts for most of the day are the types of severe symptoms that might get you approved for financial assistance. Other severe symptoms of paralysis include permanent weakness and excruciating pain.
Get Help Today
Working with a Social Security attorney can help you gather and organize the medical evidence that you need to get your claim approved by the SSA.
Your lawyer can recommend a physician to put you through a Residual Functional Capacity (RFC) assessment, which is a series of tests that measure your physical capabilities.
A Social Security attorney also helps clients file an appeal for reconsideration if a claim comes back denied from the SSA.
Schedule a free case evaluation with a Social Security lawyer to improve the chances of getting your disability claim approved.
