When a worker becomes disabled and is no longer able to earn a paycheck, it can be hard to make ends meet. Without any means of income, the financial situation can quickly spiral out of control. Fortunately, in many cases, Social Security Disability benefits can help those who are suffering from long-term or permanent disabilities. The monthly payment received from the SSA can significantly offset some of the financial stress that has been caused by a disability. Unfortunately, it takes most disability applicants months, if not years, to receive their first disability payment from the Social Security Administration. A question arises when a condition is so severe that an applicant cannot possibly deal with the standard application and appeal procedures. Fortunately the SSA has recognized these cases and has included a number of conditions in its Compassionate Allowances program – a program that allows some applicant's to qualify for disability benefits in a matter of weeks. Perry Syndrome is one of the conditions that have recently been added to the SSA’s Compassionate Allowances listings. If you or someone you know has been diagnosed with Perry Syndrome, the following information will help you understand how you can work to ensure a quick and hassle-free approval of your disability benefits under the SSA’s Compassionate Allowances guidelines.
Perry Syndrome Condition and Symptoms
Perry Syndrome is very rare and has only been reported in 50 people across the globe. With that being said, there is ongoing research to understand the causes and symptoms of Perry Syndrome and it is likely that as this disease becomes better understood, more diagnoses of the disease will occur.
The condition itself is a progressive brain disease. There are four major features associated with Perry Syndrome including Parkinsonism, changes in weight, psychiatric changes and hypoventilation. The symptoms of the condition will normally appear when a person reaches their forties or fifties.
Unfortunately there is no cure for Perry Syndrome and the prognosis of the condition is not good. Those who are diagnosed with Perry Syndrome will normally not survive more than five years beyond diagnosis. The leading causes of death in Perry Syndrome patients include respiratory complication and/or suicide.
Perry Syndrome is oftentimes a genetic disorder but unlike many of the other genetic disorders that have been discovered, Perry Syndrome is inherited in an autosomal dominant pattern. This means that even if only one copy of the mutated gene is passed down, the individual inheriting the gene can develop the disorder. It is important to note, however, that while some cases of Perry Syndrome are linked to genetics, others develop spontaneously with no genetic background whatsoever, causing new mutations of the gene involved.
Perry Syndrome has been linked to mutations in the DCTN1 gene. This gene is responsible for giving the body instructions to make the protein known as dynactin-1. Dynactin-1 is the protein that is responsible for part of the transport of materials within the cells of the body. When the DCTN1 gene mutates, the proteins it creates are unable to bind to the body’s microtubules and transport materials within the body’s cells. This causes the neurons of the body that regulate movement, emotion and breathing to malfunction and die.
Filing for Social Security Disability with Perry Syndrome
Each and every year the Social Security Administration receives millions of claims for Social Security Disability benefits. What many Americans do not realize is that approximately 70 percent of the initial claims that are received by the SSA are denied during the initial stage of the application process. When an applicant is denied disability benefits, they must appeal the denial in order to receive benefits in the future. This means adding their appeal to the millions of denied disability applicants who are already in the system.
The disability appeal process normally consists of a request for reconsideration and a disability hearing. Due to the overwhelmingly-large backlog of Social Security Disability appeals that are currently in the Social Security system, it can take more than two years for a disability applicant to obtain a hearing before an administrative law judge. The good news is that those who have a condition which is covered under the Compassionate Allowances program do not have to endure the standard application and appeal process. Their applications and appeals are handled much more promptly and it is possible, in some cases, to qualify for benefits in a matter of weeks. Those who have been diagnosed with Perry Syndrome are among the applicants who may qualify for expedited claim processing under the Compassionate Allowances guidelines.
If you have been diagnosed with Perry Syndrome or are applying on behalf of someone who has, it is important to note that even though the condition has been included in the SSA’s Compassionate Allowances listings, diagnosis of the condition itself does not mean the application will receive an automatic approval. In order to qualify for disability benefits, you will need to fill out the disability claim forms in their entirety and you will also need to supply the SSA with enough medical evidence to support your disability claim.
Perry Syndrome and Your Social Security Disability Case
If you are applying for Social Security Disability benefits due to a case of Perry Syndrome, you may want to consider retaining the services of a disability attorney prior to submitting your claim to the SSA. Applying for disability benefits can be overwhelming and the paperwork involved can be very confusing. One mistake in the claim forms can lead to significant delays in benefit approval. You must fill this paperwork out perfectly in order for your claim to be approved. By working with an attorney, you can ensure that your disability claim is submitted to the SSA in the best light possible and that the SSA recognizes the condition as a Compassionate Allowances listing and processes your claim properly.
