Published on: February 25, 2016
There are many myths floating around about suffering a stroke. Some say it can be prevented or it only attacks the elderly.
The truth of the matter is that strokes can occur at anytime and have many different forms, such as hemorrhagic or ischemic strokes; however, about eighty percent of strokes can be prevented.
Strokes are highly detrimental largely impacting families and are the fifth leading cause of death. If you have survived a stroke, then you are aware of the devastating aftermath it leaves you with including:
- Weakness or paralysis
- Fatigue
- Memory problems
- Difficulty solving problems
- Visual problems
- Depression, anxiety or mood swings with emotional outbursts
SSDI Living Allowances for Strokes
Surviving a stroke is a milestone in and of itself, but there are still many challenges that await-- especially those that burden your finances. The condition that your stroke left you in may qualify you to receive disability benefits; however, there are specific SSA Blue Book requirements that must be met.
In order for the Social Security Administration to make a decision on your claim, you will need to provide sufficient medical documentation supporting your claim. Keep in mind that simply being diagnosed with having a stroke will not automatically qualify you for disability benefits and your claim will likely get denied by the SSA. The SSA is concerned with the degree to which the effects of your stroke interferes and inhibits you from performing your current job duties.
To support your disability claim, your doctor, or medical professional, will need to obtain your medical history and determine the type and onset of your symptoms and if you have had a recent head injury. Then, a CT scan or MRI would be ordered to see if there is any bleeding in your brain and possibly even an echocardiogram to find possible blood clots.
SSDI benefits will vary in amount per person. Since SSDI is an insurance type program, your benefit amount will depend on whether or not you are still able to work and the amount of your contributions to Social Security in taxes over your career.
SSA Compassionate Allowance
The Social Security Administration recognizes that certain disabling conditions are quick to identify based on medical evidence from experts during public outreach hearings. Compassionate Allowances (CAL) is not a separate program from other disability benefits programs including Social Security Disability Income (SSDI) or Supplemental Security Income (SSI)-- Compassionate Allowances works with them.
The SSA application process can be highly complex, especially for the victims of a stroke. The Social Security Administration has designed CAL as a way of identifying diseases or other disabling medical conditions that would be considered qualifiable under the Listing of Impairments with little medical information.
The public outreach hearings allow the SSA to gather information from medical and science experts to understand which conditions are most likely to meet their definition of disability and would qualify for CAL.
Seek Out an Expert to Help You
Suffering a stroke can have massive impacts on your future functionality. Stroke symptoms can include disorientation, difficulty speaking or understanding others, severe headaches or numbness on one side of your body. The future effects of suffering a stroke can make applying for disability benefits that much more complex and difficult to complete or comprehend SSA jargon.
Contact an experienced, professional and compassionate disability advocate to guide you each step of the way and who will breakdown the complex application process. You don’t have to go through this alone and add more stress to your fragile condition. Contact someone who cares and will fight for the benefits you deserve.
