Baltimore Social Security Disability Lawyers: Listed Impairment and Approval
February 15, 2016When you have a disability that leaves you unable to work, the last thing you want to hear is that it might take months or even years to find out if you are eligible for Social Security benefits. Unfortunately, however, this is often the case. This is mostly due to the fact that the vast majority of disability claims are denied at the initial application stage. This forces applicants to go through several stages of appeals, which can significantly delay payment of needed benefits. Fortunately, you can increase your chances of being approved sooner by hiring an experienced Social Security disability lawyer to assist you.
In order to qualify for Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) or Supplemental Security Income (SSI), you must prove that you are totally disabled. While there are no medical conditions that are guaranteed approval, there are a few that make it easier to win than others. For example, if your health condition falls under the Social Security Administration’s (SSA) listing of impairments, you may have a higher chance of being approved, provided you satisfy the severity requirements for one of these listed conditions. You must still be able to provide substantial medical evidence to back up your claim.
Compassionate Allowances
If you are suffering from a condition that is so severe that you are unable to wait through the usual long disability determination delays, you may be eligible for expedited approval through the Compassionate Allowance program. This program is not separate from SSDI or SSI programs. Rather, it was established by the SSA as a way to quickly identify diseases and other medical conditions that invariably meet their qualifying definition of disability. The SSA determines which conditions qualify for Compassionate Allowances. There is no separate application needed and the program does not provide any additional benefits aside from a faster decision.
There are currently more than 200 conditions on the Compassionate Allowances List (CAL). The list includes certain types of cancer, as well as degenerative diseases such as muscular dystrophy and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS, or Lou Gehrig’s disease) and early-onset Alzheimer’s disease. For many CAL conditions, proof of a diagnosis is all that is needed to qualify you for expedited processing. However, other conditions on the list require additional evidence to prove the severity of the illness. For example, certain types of cancers, including bone, breast, kidney or ovarian cancers must show significant metastases or recurrence to qualify for Compassionate Allowances.
Maryland Disability Lawyers at LeViness, Tolzman & Hamilton Fight to Get Your Disability Claim Approved Sooner
If you would like more information about available programs for those with disabling medical conditions, contact LeViness, Tolzman & Hamilton today. Our qualified Baltimore Social Security disability lawyers have helped thousands of clients get the assistance they need while they are unable to work. Call 800-547-4LAW (4529) today to set up a free consultation or contact us online.
Our offices are located in Baltimore, Columbia, Glen Burnie and Towson, allowing us to handle Social Security disability appeals throughout Maryland, including those in Anne Arundel County, Carroll County, Harford County, Howard County, Montgomery County, Maryland’s Western Counties, Southern Maryland and the Eastern Shore, as well as the communities of Catonsville, Essex, Halethorpe, Middle River, Rosedale, Gwynn Oak, Brooklandville, Dundalk, Pikesville, Parkville, Nottingham, Windsor Mill, Lutherville, Timonium, Sparrows Point, Ridgewood and Elkridge.
