Can I Receive SSD Benefits for a Neurological Disorder?

A neurological disorder is a disease of the brain, spinal cord, nerve roots, autonomic nervous system, cranial nerves, peripheral nerves, neuromuscular junction, and muscles.

Neurological disorders include Parkinson's disease, Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), multiple sclerosis (MS), and approximately 600 others. According to the World Health Organization, hundreds of millions of people worldwide are affected by neurological disorders.

Are you impaired by a neurological disorder?

Your brain, spinal cord, and nerves make up your nervous system. This delicate network controls all of the workings of your body. When something damages your nervous system or when something goes wrong, you can experience difficulty with:

• Movement
• Speech
• Swallowing
• Breathing
• Learning

You can also have difficulty with your memory, your senses, or your mood.

Since neurological disorders can lead to permanent disability and be life-threatening, many neurological disorders such as MS, ALS, Parkinson's, epilepsy, brain tumors, cerebral palsy, and muscular dystrophy are included within the Social Security Administration's Listing of Impairments under neurological disorders.

Neurological Disorders That Deserve Special Mention

At Disability Action Advocates, we represent clients suffering from all sorts of neurological disorders. While all neurological disorders on the Listing of Impairments are cause for concern, we have represented enough clients with Parkinson's, MS, and ALS that we believe that due to the severity of these diseases, they deserve mention.

Parkinson's Disease

According to the Mayo Clinic, Parkinson's disease is the second most prevalent neurodegenerative disorder after Alzheimer's disease, with over 1 million people in the United States being affected.

Parkinson's is characterized by tremors, slow movement, rigidity, and postural instability; this disease is gradually progressive.

Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS)

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), also called Lou Gehrig's disease after the famous baseball player who was diagnosed with it, is a type of neurological disease that causes the nerve cells to gradually die.

ALS begins with muscle twitching and weakness in an arm or leg, or it can involve slurred speech. Ultimately, ALS will affect one's ability to control the muscles needed to speak, move, eat, and breathe.

There is no cure for ALS and it eventually causes death.

Multiple Sclerosis (MS)

It is estimated that over 400,000 Americans suffer from multiple sclerosis (MS). MS affects many aspects of an individual's life, including their family and their work.

With MS, the immune system attacks the sheath (myelin) that covers the nerves, thereby disrupting communication between the brain and the rest of the body, resulting in a wide range of symptoms.

The symptoms of MS may include:

• Sensory loss or sensory changes, very pronounced reflexes, muscle spasms, speech problems
• Difficulty swallowing, double vision, fatigue, chronic pain, emotional problems
• Difficulty concentrating, depression, unstable mood

In severe cases, MS may cause the complete inability to walk.

Should I apply for Social Security disability benefits?

If you have become disabled because of a neurological disease and are unable to work, you should apply for Social Security disability benefits as soon as possible. It is important to remember that once you apply, the approval process can take between 3 and 5 months.

The Social Security Administration carefully reviews every application; therefore, it is critical that your application include all of the required information as not to cause any unnecessary delays.

As Sacramento Social Security disability attorneys with over 17 years of experience helping people with neurological disorders, we can help you too.

You have spent your adult years paying into the system, and you deserve to receive the benefits you so desperately need. We urge you to take advantage of our knowledge and experience to help expedite the process as much as possible. Contact our office today!