The Social Security Administration oversees programs such as Social Security Disability Insurance, Supplemental Security Income, Medicaid and Medicare for people who are in need due to a disability and other factors. To qualify for Social Security Disability benefits requires a level of that prevents you from conducting any kind of meaningful work.
Children’s disability benefits are figured somewhat differently, and qualifying for disability benefits due to your child’s disability is a matter of proving that your child’s condition requires a high level of care above and beyond what healthy children require.
Whether you are applying for Social Security Disability benefits for yourself or your child, the application process is often long, and sometimes involves an even longer appeals process. The Social Security Administration uses this process to weed out those who are not completely disabled. Unfortunately, this often leads to truly disabled people waiting months or even years before they are able to receive their Social Security Disability benefits.
In 2008, in recognition of the fact that some disabling conditions should automatically qualify those who suffer from them for Social Security Disability benefits by virtue of their serious nature, the Social Security Administration started the Compassionate Allowances listings. Those with a condition listed amongst the Compassionate Allowance listings are always qualified for SSD benefits.
These Compassionate Allowances include a number of diseases and syndromes that afflict infants and children. One such condition is Fibrodysplasia Ossificans Progressiva.
Fibrodysplasia Ossificans Progressiva – Condition and Symptoms
Fibrodysplasia Ossificans Progressiva is an extremely rare genetic disease that causes tendons, muscle tissues, and ligaments are replaced by extra bone by a process called ossification. In addition to being painful, this condition causes a number of difficulties, ranging from inflexibility of the joints to difficulty eating or breathing.
The condition is generally diagnosed in early childhood, most often becoming noticeable with the child’s neck or shoulders. As the condition spreads to other parts of the body, it generally renders them unusable as the bone forms over joints, essentially fusing them together and locking them into place. The excess bone growth is often accelerated when there is an injury to the muscles or ligaments, and attempts to surgically remove the excess bone generally cause more bone to grow explosively, making the condition very difficult to treat.
Eventually, the condition causes a great deal of difficulty eating or breathing. This often causes malnutrition. Children with the condition may also have trouble speaking or doing anything else that requires moving the mouth.
The life expectancy of children with Fibrodysplasia Ossificans Progressiva varies considerably depending on the extent and location of the excess bone and the effected organs. There is no cure and the treatments currently available are designed primarily to deal with the pain and other symptoms associated with the condition.
Filing for Social Security Disability with Fibrodysplasia Ossificans Progressiva
When your child is diagnosed with Fibrodysplasia Ossificans Progressiva, the first thing you should do is contact the Social Security Administration and inform them of your intent to file for disability benefits on your child’s behalf. The next thing most people should do is to contact a Social Security attorney.
While most Fibrodysplasia Ossificans Progressiva Social Security Disability claims will go through the Compassionate Allowances program, allowing the claimants to start receiving Social Security Disability benefits right away, having an experienced Social Security lawyer on your side can still be helpful in making sure that everything is in order with your claim. The difference between beginning to receive benefits within a month and going through an arduous appeals process is often as simple as a missing medical document or something filed incorrectly.
When filing for Social Security Disability because of your child’s Fibrodysplasia Ossificans Progressiva, the medical documentation will need to include a description of the findings of the clinical examination, especially the musculoskeletal system and its effect on the joints. This should include the results of a CT scan and/or a MRI of all affected muscles and joints. The medical file should also include the lab tests showing the genetic mutations that cause the disease.
Your Fibrodysplasia Ossificans Progressiva Social Security Disability Claim
Even though qualifying for Social Security Disability benefits with Fibrodysplasia Ossificans Progressiva is a relatively simple matter, it’s important to realize that small mistakes or omissions could cost you a lot of time and money. Most people find it beneficial to have a Social Security Disability attorney review their case to ensure that everything is in place to ensure that your case will be accepted for a Compassionate Allowance.
It’s a simple matter to have an experienced Social Security Disability lawyer review your case and give you sound advice. Your Social Security Disability lawyer won’t even cost you any of your ongoing benefits, as his total compensation will amount to a percentage of any back pay you are entitled to. To have a Social Security Disability attorney go over your case with you, fill out the request for a free evaluation.
