This year alone, the Social Security Administration is expected to receive more than three million claims for Social Security Disability benefits. While many people assume that all disability claims are filed by disabled workers who are no longer able to pursue full-time employment, the fact of the matter is that many of these claims are filed by parents of children who have been diagnosed with severely disabling conditions. These parents often need to obtain Social Security Disability benefits in order to alleviate the financial stress caused by their child's disability. Unfortunately, obtaining the disability benefits these families so desperately need is sometimes easier said than done.
The Social Security Disability claim process can be complex and overwhelming. It takes some applicants more than two years to obtain the benefits to which they are rightfully entitled. Parents filing disability claims for a child faced with a severely debilitating condition, however, are not always able to wait months or years for disability benefits to begin.
Fortunately, the Social Security Administration has recognized that some disability claims warrant immediate attention. In 2008 the SSA implemented the Compassionate Allowances guidelines, which allow some Social Security Disability applicants to be awarded benefits in under a month. Children who have been diagnosed with Type II Osteogenesis Imperfecta are among the applicants who can be awarded benefits under these guidelines.
If your child has been diagnosed with Type II Osteogenesis Imperfecta, the following information will help you understand the Social Security Disability claim process and what you can do to increase your child's chances of obtaining a quick approval of their disability benefits under the Compassionate Allowances guidelines.
Type II Osteogenesis Imperfecta (OI) - Conditions and Symptoms
Osteogenesis imperfecta, also known as OI, brittle bone disease, or Lobstein syndrome, is a rare bone disorder that affects approximately 20,000 to 50,000 throughout the United States. Individuals who are born with the condition suffer from a Type-I collagen deficiency that prevents the body from making connective tissue. The condition is inherited in a recessive pattern, so a child must inherit two copies of the mutated gene that causes the disorder in order to inherit the disease.
The symptoms of Type II Osteogenesis Imperfecta can vary, but common symptoms of the disease include severe bone fragility, short limbs, think skin, a small nose, a low nasal bridge, inguinal hernia, a soft skull, trouble breathing, and a bowing of the limbs. Babies who are born with the condition usually suffer multiple fractures at birth and often face life-threatening complications.
The Type II form of this condition is the most severe, and it is this form that qualifies an applicant for claim processing under the Compassionate Allowances guidelines. Many of the infants who are born with Type II Osteogenesis Imperfecta die at or shortly after birth. Death usually occurs due to respiratory complications. For infants who do survive birth, fractures and severe bone deformity are unavoidable and death usually occurs early on in infancy.
Filing for Social Security Disability with Osteogenesis Imperfecta (OI) - Type II
If your child has been diagnosed with Type II Osteogenesis Imperfecta, you may be overwhelmed by the emotional trauma of the diagnosis. It is not uncommon for a parent to take an absence from work in order to meet the needs of the child. For parents who maintain full-time occupational activity, the costs of proper care for the child can cause added financial stress. In many cases, Social Security Disability benefits can help.
When filing a disability claim for your child based on a diagnosis of Type II Osteogenesis Imperfecta, make sure that you answer all of the questions presented on the disability claim forms. Be very detailed in your answers. The more information you can provide, the more smoothly the application process is likely to go. Also include complete copies of your child's medical records and written statements from your child's treating physicians when submitting your disability claim to the Social Security Administration.
Your Type II Osteogenesis Imperfecta (OI) Social Security Disability Case
Although Type II Osteogenesis Imperfecta is one of the 88 conditions that qualifies a disability claim for processing under the Compassionate Allowances guidelines, that does not mean that your child's claim will be automatically approved by the Social Security Administration. While many Compassionate Allowances claims are approved without any complication, some claims have been denied in the past. This is usually due to an improperly completed application or a lack of Compassionate Allowances knowledge on the part of the adjudicator reviewing the file.
If you want to increase your chances of obtaining an expedited approval of your child's Social Security Disability benefits, you should consider retaining the services of a qualified disability attorney or advocate. These professionals can help you prepare your child's disability application and will ensure that it is presented in the best light possible to the Social Security Administration. Your attorney or advocate can also ensure that your file is presented in such a way that the adjudicator reviewing your child's claim fully understands how the application qualifies for processing under the Compassionate Allowances guidelines.
To learn more about the Social Security Compassionate Allowance listings or to find out whether your child may qualify for Social Security Disability benefits due to a case of Type II Osteogenesis Imperfecta, submit a free disability evaluation today.
