CAN I GET SOCIAL SECURITY DISABIITY FOR....?

Attention Deficit Disorder or ADD is a serious inability to remain focused, to concentrate or to complete tasks in a timely manner.  Hyperactivity Disorder (HD) may be related and involves the inability to be still or relaxed in a manner that interferes with activities of daily living.  The combined type is ADHD which combines both concentration deficits with hyperactivity. ADHD is often thought of as a problem for children.  However, many adults have either ADD or ADHD and these conditions can pose serious restrictions on the ability to perform the mental activities required of remunerative, competitive work. Will Social Security pay benefits for ADHD?  The answer is, maybe. If you can prove that the ADHD has lasted for 12 months or more, is severe enough to interfere with your ability to perform normal age appropriate activities, including school or work functions, you may be able to get benefits.  Treatment by a medical or psychiatric professional is vi...

Having an injury occur on the job does not prevent you from getting Social Security disability benefits if you are unable to work. For most on the job injuries there will probably be a workers compensation claim.  Receiving a workers compensation insurance settlement does not usually prevent you from getting Social Security disability benefits.  However, depending on how your workers compensation settlement is structured, there might be an offset that will affect the amount of the Social Security benefit.  Often there is not even an offset. (The Forsythe Firm does not handle workers compensation claims). As with all Social Security disability claims, getting benefits depends on the severity and duration of your injury.  Here are some very general guidelines: You must be unable to work for a period of no less than 12 consecutive months. This is called the duration requirement.  Note:  You do not have to be off work for 12 months before filing a Social...

Poor vision qualifies for Social Security disability if the sight is severely impaired and is not correctable with glasses. Visual impairments are governed by Social Security Listings 2.02, 2.03 and 2.04. Loss of visual acuity may qualify for benefits if the sight in the better eye is 20/100 or less after correction with lens. Contraction of the visual field may also qualify for benefits when, in the better eye, the widest diameter of the vision field is no greater than 20 degrees from the point of fixation. Visual efficiency of 20 or less, or a visual impairment value of 1.00 or greater will also generally qualify for benefits. Who may evaluate vision impairments for purposes of a Social Security claim?  Social Security will accept evidence of visual impairment from either a medical doctor or a licensed optometrist.  However, the examination must include the specific details (see above) to allow Social Security to decide the severity and type of your vision impairme...

Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is evaluated by Social Security under Section 12.06, Anxiety Related Disorders. PTSD occurs after seeing or experiencing a traumatic event like death, injury, accident, rape, abuse, natural disaster, war or etc.  PTSD was first associated with soldiers coming out of combat in war zones.  Now, it is recognized that there are also many other causes for PTSD. To award benefits, Social Security will want proof of nearly extreme anxiety or emotional disturbance creating flashbacks, bad memories, nightmares, etc.  Ideally, these severe symptoms should be documented by either a psychiatrist or clinical psychologist.  While a family doctor (primary care doctor) may treat PTSD, Social Security tends to give more weight to a mental health professional or specialist. There are two ways to be approved by Social Security for PTSD: One is to meet Listing 12.06.  Few people have symptoms severe enough to meet the Listing. A seco...

It may be possible to get Social Security disability benefits for Epilepsy or other seizure disorders - but there are some specific requirements to do so. You need a diagnosis and treatment from a doctor, preferably a neurologist. You must have tried medications to control the seizures and allowed the doctor to adjust the dosage or try different medications. You must still be having seizures at least once a week after at least 3 months of medical treatment. You need to have blood serum tests by your doctor to prove you are taking prescribed medications. A journal or diary describing the dates, type and severity of seizures is helpful; this may be kept by a family member. Social Security considers epileptic seizures to be controllable (usually) with proper medical care.  Only in the case of intractable or chronic seizures which occur frequently in spite of adequate medical care will Social Security grant disability benefits.  Age can also play an important role in the ...