Charlotte Social Security Disability Blog

What does it mean to be bipolar?

On behalf of Bridgman Law Offices posted in social security disability benefits for mental conditions on Friday, October 19, 2018.

Everyone has fluctuations in their mood throughout the day. A person may feel frustrated and angry while dealing with a work problem but then may feel happiness and peace a few hours later when they are home playing with their kids. Working through different emotions is a part of practically every North Carolina resident's day, and for most managing emotional variation is a relatively easy process.

As many readers know, though, mental illnesses and disorders can make the self-regulation of one's moods next to impossible. One illness that can cause individuals to move between periods of extreme happiness and energy, and extreme depression and sadness, is bipolar disorder. Bipolar disorder is also called manic depression, where the manic parts of the individual's condition are represented by their periods of high energy and joy while the depression characterizes their periods of despair.

Seeking benefits for disabled adult children

On behalf of Bridgman Law Offices posted in social security disability on Thursday, October 11, 2018.

When a new baby is born into the world their parents may be overjoyed by the new addition to their family. While many North Carolina parents are able to transition into parenthood without any significant problems or challenges, others may be devastated to learn that their new children have arrived with serious and sometimes life-threatening conditions. While some affected newborns may suffer from treatable illnesses and disorders, others may have to learn to live with their conditions for the rest of their lives.

An adult who grows up with a disability that began during their childhood may have few options for finding work once they reach the age of majority. While working with a disability is possible it is not always something that disabled Americans can achieve given the constraints of their medical conditions. As such, some adults who have suffered from disabilities from childhood may be able to collect disability benefits based off of the earnings of their parents.

Keep ambiguity out of your application for disability benefits

On behalf of Bridgman Law Offices posted in social security disability benefits for injuries on Thursday, October 4, 2018.

A disabling accident or injury can leave a Charlotte resident with years of recovery and the inability to work. This devastating combination can create financial as well as physical hardships in that person's life and may cause them to suffer as they work to find normalcy. However, not all men and women who endure these serious incidents are able to get back to their jobs, and when an injury-based disability claims someone's ability to hold down a job they may need to turn to the Social Security Administration's disability benefits' programs for help.

This disability benefits' legal blog has offered numerous posts on how Social Security Disability Insurance and Supplemental Security Income can support disabled Americans. To get benefits, though, individuals must apply to the Social Security Administration and offer evidence of the harm they have suffered as well as evidence regarding their inability to work.

What is peripheral neuropathy?

On behalf of Bridgman Law Offices posted in social security disability benefits for illness on Thursday, September 27, 2018.

Every system in the human body plays an important role in maintaining stasis of the whole and performing essential functions to keep the individual healthy. From their skin to their bones and everything in between, when a problem develops in a Charlotte resident's body they may experience problems in unexpected places.

One illness that can have a very serious and debilitating side effect is diabetes mellitus. Commonly referred to as just "diabetes", the illness affects how afflicted individuals use and process energy from the foods that they eat. A person with diabetes may not produce enough insulin to metabolize their food or they may produce too much. In either case serious complications can develop from the presence of the illness in the body.

Multiple sclerosis and your ability to hold a job

On behalf of Bridgman Law Offices on Monday, September 24, 2018.

When a North Carolina resident is suffering from a medical condition or disease that prevents him or her from working, that individual could qualify for disability benefits through the Social Security Administration. However, the SSA holds a strict view of disability, and it is not always easy to get benefits. This is the case even for those pursing benefits for serious conditions, such as multiple sclerosis.

Multiple sclerosis is a condition that affects the brain and spinal cord, and it is often disabling. Over time, this disease negatively impacts nerves, making it incredibly difficult or impossible to work. If you have MS and find it hard to continue with the responsibilities of your employment, you may have a valid claim to a specific type of disability benefits.

Severe burn injuries and disability benefits applications

On behalf of Bridgman Law Offices posted in social security disability benefits for injuries on Friday, September 21, 2018.

A significant injury can cause a Charlotte resident to experience life-long pain and suffering. They may not be able to work due to the harm that they have suffered, and as such they may struggle to find ways to make ends meet. As previously discussed on this North Carolina disability benefits blog, injuries can, in some cases, form the bases of disability benefits claims.

One form of injury that may qualify a person for disability benefits is burns. Burns are injuries to victims' skin and soft tissue. They can result from contact with different forms of dangerous and corrosive substances such as heat, fire, chemicals and electricity.

What happens to my SSI benefits if I find work?

On behalf of Bridgman Law Offices posted in ssi supplemental security income on Friday, September 14, 2018.

Being able to work for one's own living and to reduce their need for disability benefits is often a goal of a North Carolina resident who needs Supplemental Security Income to get by. In review, SSI benefits are generally available to individuals who are at least 65 years old or are disabled or blind and who have limited access to earning wages and financial support. If a person who qualifies for SSI receives benefits and then is able to secure gainful employment, they may fear that their benefits will be stopped. Depending upon how much income they earn and the types of benefits they get, they may be able to keep some or all of their SSI.

For example, income that is earned below an established threshold may not reduce a worker's SSI benefits. Additionally, individuals who receive SSI and who are students may be able to exclude from their income more than $7,000 per year in earnings in order to continue to qualify for SSI benefits.

When an illness-based disability benefits claim is denied

On behalf of Bridgman Law Offices posted in social security disability benefits for illness on Thursday, September 6, 2018.

A terrifying diagnosis can stop a Charlotte resident in their tracks. Whether it is a genetic disease or an acquired condition, a disease or illness that may rob a person of their ability to work and to live their life to the fullest may end a person's hopes and dreams for their future. As they seek assistance with learning how to fight their medical battle they may also look into ways of supporting their financial needs.

Certain diseases and disorders are recognized by the Social Security Administration as potentially disabling. An applicant for benefits must show, often through medical evidence, that their condition satisfies the definition of a disability and that it meets other mandatory requirements. Although some illness-based disability benefits' claims are approved on their first review, others are denied for a variety of different reasons.

Social Security approves 5 conditions for compassionate allowance

On behalf of Bridgman Law Offices posted in social security disability on Friday, August 31, 2018.

The compassionate allowance program is a special fast-track way for certain identified illnesses and disorders to be approved for disability benefits by the Social Security Administration. Conditions identified for this program do not undergo the same review process as others and individuals who suffer from them may begin to receive the benefits they need sooner than they would if they had to go through the normal path to benefits. North Carolina residents may be interested to learn that the acting Commissioner of the Social Security Administration recently announced that five additional disorders have been included in the fast- track program.

These disorders are fibrolamellar cancer; megacystis microcolon; intestinal hypoperistalsis syndrome; megalencephaly capillary malformation syndrome; superficial siderosis of the central nervous system; and tetrasomy 18p. These illnesses and conditions will join the list of others that have been identified as so severe that they cause disabilities in those who suffer from them due to their presence in the individuals' bodies.

Disability benefits for spinal cord disorders

On behalf of Bridgman Law Offices posted in social security disability benefits for injuries on Thursday, August 23, 2018.

There is no such thing as a good injury but North Carolina residents may be aware that damage sustained to certain parts of their bodies may result in more significant impairments than harm endured to other body parts. For example, a person who suffers a shoulder injury may find that they have difficulty moving their arm or performing lifting duties; a person who suffers a spinal cord injury, however, may lose complete function of their arms and even their legs depending upon the severity and location of their wound.

Spinal cord injuries are serious because they involve damage to the nerves that send messages from a person's brain throughout their entire body. The spinal cord is a bundle of nerves that runs through a person's body and that, if damaged, can stop sending messages below the site of the injury. If a person suffers a complete spinal cord injury then they will not have sensations below the site of their harm; if they suffer an incomplete spinal cord injury then they may have limited mobility or sensation below their injury location.