A stroke is one of the most devastating medical incidents that a person can suffer, reducing everyday life functions and impacting the quality of life. If you’ve suffered a stroke, then you might find yourself unable to work and struggling to pay your medical bills and searching for a way to support your family. In these dire circumstances, a good solution for getting the funding you need to move on with your life is to apply for Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI).
However, like any disabling condition, receiving SSDI benefits for your stroke is more complex than you might think. Here is some advice to help you receive SSDI after a stroke, including tips for when you should hire a Chicago Social Security Disability lawyer.
Basic Rules and Limits
Before examining the rules for receiving SSDI benefits after suffering a stroke, it’s important to examine the regulations that every SSDI applicant must follow, regardless of their condition.
First, you must be sure that you are not earning income above the Substantial Gainful Activity (SGA) limit, which is $1,040. Secondly, the effects of your stroke need to last for at least a year. Finally, the extent of your disability must be determined to be ‘severe’, meaning there is some impact on your ability to live and work in a normal manner.
Now that you know some of the entry level requirements for SSDI eligibility, it’s time to look at the specific rules for strokes.
Effects to Your Central Nervous Vascular System
The main impacts of a stroke that Social Security considers have to do with your central nervous vascular system and are found in Social Security’s 11.04 listing. Certain applicants may automatically qualify for benefits under the 11.04 listing, provided they suffer from the listed conditions.
The aftereffects of a stroke that may automatically qualify you for SSDI benefits include communication problems, the inability to recognize common objects, total or limited paralysis in at least two limbs that makes it difficult for you to move.
If you believe you are suffering from any of these conditions, it’s a good idea to consult with your physician to examine and document your ailments.
Damage to Your Speaking and Cognitive Abilities
Social Security keeps a second listing—2.00—that outlines the impacts that a stroke can have on your cognitive, communicative and visual abilities. For these conditions to qualify for SSDI benefits, they must have had a severe, negative impact on your ability to live your life as you wish.
Stroke symptoms that can be found under the 2.00 listing include significant reduction in your visual field, vision in your better eye that is less than 20/200 with corrective tools like glasses and the inability to communicate effectively. As you can tell, these conditions do not automatically qualify and depend on the extent of the damage.
What to Do if You Don’t Initially Qualify
Sometimes, it is possible that the effects of your stroke are not severe enough to automatically qualify you for SSDI benefits. However, this does not mean that will automatically be denied either. If you don’t immediately qualify, Social Security may examine your condition more closely to determine your limitations and what working ability you still possess, if any. This is known as your Residual Functional Capacity (RFC), and with a low enough RFC, you can earn SSDI.
After this examination, should Social Security determine you are not eligible for benefits, your last, best option is to retain a Chicago Social Security Disability lawyer for assistance.
Seek Answers from a Chicago Social Security Disability Lawyer
Knowing how to move on after a stroke can be difficult, especially if your SSDI application has been denied. After an application denial, you should fight for your benefits with the help of a Chicago Social Security Disability lawyer from the Disparti Law Group Accident & Injury Lawyers The Disparti legal team understands the complexities of applying for SSDI, and we will do everything in our power to help you get the support you deserve. Schedule a consultation with us today.
