It can strike during sleep in the middle of the night or when you are at work during the middle of the day. A stroke is often a debilitating medical condition that shuts down the body’s central nervous system.
You lose control of muscle functions, as well as suffer from a severely impaired memory. One or more strokes are capable of rendering you incapable of taking care of yourself, which means you lose your job and the financial support needed to maintain a comfortable lifestyle.
Filing a claim with the Social Security Administration (SSA) to receive Social Security Disability (SSD) benefits can help bridge the immense financial gap caused by a stroke.
SSD benefits provide income to offset the loss of a job, as well as pay for costly medical bills. However, you need to provide the SSA with sufficient hard evidence a stroke has irrevocably altered your lifestyle.
With the assistance of a Social Security lawyer, you will submit the medical documents necessary to process your SSD claim. You should submit as much evidence as you can acquire to bolster your SSD case.
The SSA Relies on the Blue Book to Make SSD Decisions
When you file a SSD claim, the medical documents you submit should closely follow what the SSA Blue Book has established as evidence guidelines for filing a SSD claim.
The SSA Blue Book contains a seemingly countless number of medical conditions and the corresponding medical documentation required to prove your SSD claim. Every known medical condition is divided into two categories: adult and children.
For example, if you are an adult, the Blue Book will present the medical documents you need to submit to prove that a stroke has created a permanent disability. The SSA frequently updates the information presented in the online version of the SSD medical guidelines.
The Importance Your Doctor Plays When Applying for SSD with XYZ Condition
Filing a SSD claim with the SSA requires you to submit medical documents that prove your claim. The medical documents must be verified by a doctor that possesses the credentials to diagnose and treat patients suffering from the symptoms of a stroke.
Simply claiming you lost your job because of a stroke is not enough evidence for the SSA to approve a permanent disability claim.
Here are the documents you should submit to provide the SSA with hard evidence that you qualify for SSD benefits:
- A comprehensive report documenting the history of your cerebrovascular incident
- Emergency room records
- Results from brain scans that include a CT and MRI
- Neurologist diagnostic records
You also need documentation of the following symptoms:
- Inability to speak
- Difficulty hearing
- Unable to understand basic instructions
- Acute memory loss
- Motor control issues
- Cannot move from a sitting to a standing position
The SSA requires the symptoms to have persisted for at least three months following a stroke.
Your SSD claim will involve considerable paperwork, with much of it submitted in digital form. Since a stroke significantly impairs cognitive functions, it is highly recommended that you hire a licensed Social Security Lawyer to present evidence of your symptoms.
A SSD lawyer will help you fight back against a denied claim, as well as represent you if your case ever goes to the appeal stage.
Hiring a Social Security lawyer will demonstrate to the SSA that you are serious about your stroke disability claim, especially if you file the medical documents required to have your SSD benefits claim approved by the SSA.
