Chronic pain syndrome is a recurrent pain that continues for a longer period than usual, probably after coming out of an acute illness or an injury that left you impaired. However, you may be wondering if chronic pain syndrome qualifies pain sufferers for social security disability benefits. While some people heal completely after a chronic illness, others may end up with chronic pain that limits their ability to do the basic things of life. Sometimes, the causes of chronic pain may be unknown. Other times, it may be as a result of a failed medical surgery.
Whatever the case may be, if you’re diagnosed with a pain disorder, you may be concerned if you will qualify for social security disability benefits. Your eligibility for such benefits will be determined by the Social Security Administration if you meet the stipulated criteria for eligibility.
Applying for Social Disability Benefits
Chronic pain syndrome does not only limit the type of work you do, it also affects your daily living credibility. The Social Security Administration needs to know how long you may have been suffering from this pain and how it has impacted or limited your ability to work. They need to know;
#1. The Limitations it has on the Type of Work You Do
If you’re applying for an SSDI, you’ll have to narrow down the details of how your pain would limit you when it comes to full-time employment. Enduring a great deal of pain after standing or walking for an hour, only means that you’re incapable of standing or walking an hour at a time to do a job. Also, give detailed information about the things you do to relieve your pain. Do you sometimes stretch your legs or do you apply cold or hot compressors?
Chronic pain syndrome is a physical limitation that affects your ability to work full-time jobs and that’s why it is advisable to include them in your application. If you and your doctor don’t write it down, the Social Security Administration won’t know the many ways your pain limits you.
#2 How the Activities of Your Daily Living Affects Your Credibility
One of the most important things the Social Security Administration considers before releasing benefits is your Activities of Daily Living credibility (ADLs). You will have to give detailed information about what you’re able to do despite your disability. The SSA may send out questionnaires for you to fill out or make an ADL call to a friend or relative, asking them about the activities you can perform.
Another thing is being completely honest with yourself about how limited your life has become. Maybe you’re unable to visit friends or events that make living worth it. If your daily living activities appear normal to the SSA, it may be difficult for them to believe that your chronic pain is disabling.
#3 How Medical Treatment Affects Your Credibility
Continuous medical treatment also contributes to your credibility. If you haven’t been to a hospital for your pain or been in an ongoing medical process, you may not be able to prove the severity of your pain. Not every treatment requires the hospital. The treatment you subscribe to can be a non-medical or non-traditional method of treatment, such as physical therapy, massage, yoga, exercise, meditation, and herbal supplements. While applying for the disability benefits, make sure to document the processes you undergo to relieve your pains.
#4 How the Mental Effects of Chronic Pain Limit Your Ability to Work
While documenting, do not forget the mental and emotional effects you may be experiencing as a result of the chronic pain. It will be important to establish your disability through the RFC (Residual Functional Capacity) assessment by adding information on how your pain affects your mental capabilities. One of the mental effects of chronic pain involves difficulty concentrating and trying to recollect events (memory).
It is quite hard to stomach new information when faced with pain. It can also be difficult for you to get along with your colleagues or supervisor as the pain sometimes comes with impatience and irrational behaviors. The difficulty a person undergoes while living with chronic pain can result in depression and anxiety.
Pains can increase due to psychological stress. Most times, doctors advise their patients to seek therapy or psychological evaluation. While documenting, also include the diagnosis or treatment for mental illness in your disability application.
Can Chronic Pain Syndrome Qualify You for Disability Benefits?
Being eligible to qualify for Social Security or SSI benefits, you must be able to convince the Social Security Administration (SSA) that your medical condition is a severe physical or mental impairment. This means that medical evidence should show both symptoms and lab tests. For your disability to be considered by the agency, your impairment shouldn’t be based on just the symptoms alone.
Just having chronic pain syndrome will not qualify you for disability benefits, unless of course, your medical record includes lab tests, x-rays, and a physical exam that shows the result of a physical impairment that could produce the symptom. A diagnosis like fibromyalgia and somatoform can meet Social Security’s requirements for a medically determinable impairment.
One of the most important things you need to do is to get your diagnosis from a qualified medical doctor or psychiatrist. Secondly, show that your impairment has lasted for a year or continuously for a period not less than 12 months. It is a plus for you if you have had more than one diagnosis for more than a year from different doctors.
This gives the Social Security Administration enough information to assess if your impairment qualifies for the disability benefits. Another thing is that chronic pain is not among the list of impairments in the Social Security book, but there is a list of impairments that can qualify you for the disability benefits. They include;
- Inflammatory arthritis
- Neurological disorders, and
- Somatoform disorders
If aside from the above mentioned, your chronic pain is caused by another diagnosed impairment, you may qualify under this list;
- Back injury
- Chronic renal disease
- Inflammatory bowel disease
Chronic pain sufferers must try to qualify for the disability benefits through the Residual Functional Capacity (RFC) assessment.
Qualifying for the Disability Benefits through the RFC Assessment
RFC assessment examines your physical and mental limitations, to determine how much your disability limits you and if you can’t work full-time. The federal court has ordered that Social Security considers;
- How pain affects your daily activities.
- The location, duration, frequency, and intensity of your pain.
- Factors that aggravate your pain.
- The type, dosage, effectiveness, and side effects of medications to alleviate the pain
- The other treatments or ways you use to relieve the pain.
How Social Security Uses the RFC Assessment to Determine Disability
After doing a thorough physical and mental RFC assessment on you, Social Security uses a formula that includes your age, education, and job skills to determine your eligibility for the disability benefits.
Conclusion:-
Having chronic pain isn’t a guarantee that you are likely to qualify for the disability benefit. At the initial application stage, you may likely be denied benefits, unless a hearing is made on your behalf in front of an administrative law judge. Another thing that may qualify you for the benefit is if you apply for multiple medical impairments. You will also need to have documented medical treatment for any other medical conditions that may contribute to your disability including things like high blood pressure, diabetes, and sleep apnea.
Seeking the counsel of a disability lawyer will help in preparing your disability hearing. The lawyer will make sure that your testimony supports your case and cross-examine the vocational experts that can rule out jobs that are fit for you. If you feel that you or a loved one may qualify for Social Security disability benefits, we recommend that you contact the attorneys at www.injuredhelpnow.com or if you are an Arizona resident, www.arizonapersonalinjurylawyers.com We have worked with this group of attorneys for years and find that they are very responsible, approachable and skilled in the area of disability law.
Source Link: Benefits of Social Security Disability