The average wait time for an initial application for Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) benefits to be reviewed is three to four months. In some areas, it can take significantly longer. To complicate matters further for those in need of disability benefits, the Social Security Administration (SSA) denies about 70 percent of claims nationwide for disability each year.
If an applicant is denied SSDI, a second review is required. If that review also results in denial, an appeal will need to be filed if the applicant intends to continue pursuing SSDI benefits. Altogether, this process can take a year or more, with some individuals seeing two years or more pass before receiving a final determination on their eligibility.
As severe disability and terminal illness often means applicants don’t have years or even months to wait for SSDI benefits, the SSA developed an alternative and expedited review and approval process for certain disability conditions. The program which governs claims containing one of the pre-approved diagnoses is the Compassionate Allowances (CAL) program.
Currently, there are 113 conditions on the CAL list. Fifty-two additional conditions have been approved and will be added to the CAL list on August 13, 2012, including Cornelia de Lange Syndrome-Classic Form.
If you’ve received a diagnosis of Cornelia de Lange Syndrome-Classic Form, the information that follows may help you understand how the SSA reviews disability claims for the specific condition. It will also provide you some guidelines for seeing a quick and smooth approval of disability benefits under the CAL guidelines of the SSA.
Cornelia de Lange Syndrome-Classic Form – Condition and Symptoms
Cornelia de Lange Syndrome, or CDL, is a rare syndrome that causes congenital genetic defects. Babies are born with the condition and may exhibit some visible symptoms at birth, including distinctive facial features like a downturned mouth, upturned nose and eyebrows that grow together.
Birth defects include the presence of abnormal and underdeveloped arms and legs, problems with gastro-esophageal reflux and other digestive issues and deformities, and in some cases, breathing difficulties. There can also be heart deformities present in babies born with Cornelia de Lange Syndrome – Classic Form as well as a number of other deficiencies and defects.
Additional symptoms become apparent as the child ages and can include learning difficulties and mental retardation. Most individuals with CDL also do not grow as expected and never reach a “normal” size or height, commonly being small in overall stature.
There is no blood test or other absolute diagnostic method for diagnosing CDL. Diagnosis is instead based on the presence of characteristic symptoms. The treatment and management of CDL is based on the symptoms present and therefore varies from one case to the next. Because symptoms can be extensive and there is no single treatment for the disorder, the management of symptoms can be involved and complicated. The degree of support patients with CDL require varies based on congenital defects and associated symptoms, but suffice to say complex care is usually necessary. The SSA realizes this, which is why Cornelia de Lange Syndrome-Classic Form has been approved for expedited claims processing under the provisions of the Compassionate Allowances program.
Filing for Social Security Disability with Cornelia de Lange Syndrome-Classic Form
Because Cerebrotendinous Xanthomatosis affects, the most common SSDI claims filed with this diagnosis involve babies. These kinds of claims are usually filed by parents seeking benefits for their children. The process for applying for SSDI on behalf of a child is somewhat different than it is for disabled adults. Although the application process varies somewhat, the documentation required for proving a disability is basically the same in any SSDI claim.
Thorough medical records must be presented in any SSDI benefits application, even when the claim is filed for a condition which falls under the CAL program. In other words, a diagnosis of Cornelia de Lange Syndrome-Classic Form does not eliminate the need for medical records. In fact, your application should contain all available medical records, including labs and other test results as well as statements from the different physicians who’ve treated the condition.
Your Cornelia de Lange Syndrome-Classic Form Social Security Disability Case
While CDL is now among the conditions with expedited review procedures under the Compassionate Allowances program of the SSA, filing a claim with a diagnosis of CDL still does not guarantee approval for disability benefits. You must still substantiate the disability by having a well documented case file and application. A Social Security Disability attorney can assist you in putting together your application and getting the appropriate documentation.
To learn more about the Social Security Compassionate Allowance listings or to discover whether you qualify for Social Security Disability benefits with a diagnosis of Cornelia de Lange Syndrome-Classic Form, request a free case evaluation today.
