Charlotte Social Security Disability Blog

Can I receive disability benefits for high blood pressure?

On behalf of Bridgman Law Offices posted in social security disability benefits for illness on Thursday, November 21, 2019.

The Social Security Administration has a long list of illnesses and conditions that may, under certain conditions, make a person eligible for disability benefits. Among them is high blood pressure. But before you start filling out your application for benefits, be aware it may not be as easy as it seems.

High blood pressure is a very common ailment. By some estimates, as much as 29% of American adults have high blood pressure, also known as hypertension. While it doesn't show any apparent symptoms by itself, when left untreated high blood pressure can raise the likelihood of heart disease or stroke. Because many people don't know they have high blood pressure until they suffer one of these very serious events, the condition is sometimes known as "the silent killer."

Some veterans can get expedited service for disability benefits

On behalf of Bridgman Law Offices posted in social security disability on Thursday, November 14, 2019.

Veterans of the U.S. military have a number of services available to them through Veterans Affairs, but these are not necessarily exclusive. Veterans who are unable to work because of illness or injury should be aware they may be eligible for Social Security Disability benefits. In fact, their status as veterans qualifies them for expedited service in seeking the benefits.

The Social Security Disability Insurance program, also known as SSD, helps people who are no longer able to work due to injury, illness or other conditions. It's important to note that there is a large list of conditions that can make a person eligible for the benefits, including mental illnesses. This may be of particular interest to veterans, given the high number of veterans who suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder and other mental illness issues.

Can I claim disability for Lyme disease?

On behalf of Bridgman Law Offices on Thursday, November 14, 2019.

You and your family may have had a lovely summer, spending time in the beautiful North Carolina outdoors. However, if you soon found yourself experiencing aches and pains, fever and a strange rash, you may have treated the symptoms as if you had the flu. When your home remedies did not help you get any better, you may have gone to an urgent care facility or your family doctor.

The diagnosis of Lyme disease may have come as a shock. However, before reaching their conclusion, doctors, like you, may have assumed you had the flu, allowing the infection, spread through the bite of a tick, to progress even further. In fact, if your condition is now chronic, you may find it is impossible to do many of the daily tasks you used to, including going to work. Could you be eligible for disability benefits for Lyme disease?

Vaping-related lung injuries on the rise

On behalf of Bridgman Law Offices posted in social security disability benefits for injuries on Wednesday, November 6, 2019.

The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services has reported an alarming increase in the number of patients suffering from lung injuries associated with using e-cigarettes and vaping products. In North Carolina, there have been at least 61 reported cases. Researchers believe most of the problems are the result of additives in the smoking solutions, but they have not found a single product or source linked to all the cases.

North Carolina's cases are just some of the many across the country. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has found at least 1,604 cases of injury and 34 deaths in the United States and the U.S. Virgin Islands. These cases involve mostly younger people, but some of the injured have been as old as 72.

Returning to work after receiving disability benefits

On behalf of Bridgman Law Offices posted in social security disability on Thursday, October 31, 2019.

Social Security Disability benefits are meant to provide income for people who are not able to earn a living due to injury, illness or other condition. However, many people who receive the benefits eventually find they wish to return to work.

For these people, the Social Security Administration offers a program called Ticket to Work, which is meant to ease their transition back into the workforce, and to preserve their ability to recover benefits if they need them again.

What type of documentation do I need to provide?

On behalf of Bridgman Law Offices posted in social security disability benefits for injuries on Thursday, October 24, 2019.

Before the Social Security Administration will let you collect any disability benefits, it needs to know the nature of your impairment, and how it prevents you from working. It should come as no surprise when we tell you the SSA won't just take your word for it. The SSA wants medical evidence.

By law, the SSA must have what it calls objective medical evidence from an acceptable medical source, showing that the applicant has an impairment. It also needs reports and other documentation showing the severity of the impairment. To determine whether the impairment meets the required standards of severity, the SSA examines all the applicable medical and nonmedical evidence. Medical evidence consists of reports from the applicant's own doctors, any hospital records, and material from other sources, such as medical literature. Nonmedical evidence includes the applicant's reports about how the impairment has affected their life, along with reports from teachers,

Social Security Administration to increase benefit amounts

On behalf of Bridgman Law Offices posted in social security disability on Thursday, October 17, 2019.

The Social Security Administration recently announced an increase in benefit amounts for people who receive checks through Social Security retirement, Social Security Disability Insurance and Supplemental Security Income.

The benefit increase is mandated automatically by a cost-of-living-adjustment that is tied to inflation. More than 8 million SSI recipients will get slightly bigger checks starting December 31, and other Social Security recipients will see higher dollar amounts in January 2020.

If you are struggling with fibromyalgia, are you disabled?

On behalf of Bridgman Law Offices on Wednesday, October 16, 2019.

It is incredibly difficult when a person is struggling with a condition that is not physically apparent. Invisible illnesses can be extremely painful and debilitating, even affecting a person's ability to work. One of these conditions is fibromyalgia, and if you have this type of illness, you may no longer be able to meet the terms of your employment.

It can be financially devastating when a person is no longer able to hold gainful employment because of his or her health. This is an issue that impacts your entire North Carolina family, and you are probably concerned about the future. How will you pay your bills and make ends meet? At this point, you may wonder if you are eligible for disability benefits, but you may be unsure of whether you qualify as a disabled individual.

Benefits for disabled children

On behalf of Bridgman Law Offices posted in ssi supplemental security income on Thursday, October 10, 2019.

Eligibility for Social Security Disability Insurance benefits is based in part on work credits. To be eligible for SSD benefits, a person must have worked enough, and recently enough.

The Social Security Administration has a somewhat complicated method for calculating work credits and eligibility, based on dollar amounts earned and the applicant's age. Generally an individual can earn up to four work credits a year. To be eligible for SSD, the individual must not only meet the criteria for disability, but must also have earned a total of 40 credits, with 20 of those credits earned in the past 10 years before becoming disabled.

Mental health issues increasing for younger Americans

On behalf of Bridgman Law Offices posted in social security disability benefits for mental conditions on Thursday, October 3, 2019.

Social Security Disability Insurance provides benefits for qualifying people who can no longer work because of disabling mental conditions. Under some circumstances, disabling conditions can include severe cases of depression, anxiety and other relatively common mental health issues. However, it's important to note that a worker must have earned enough work credits to qualify for the program.

This is an important thing to remember because at least one study has suggested that increasing numbers of young people are suffering from mental health issues, at rates that exceed those of older Americans.