Although Parkinson’s disease is considered one of the potentially most devastating diseases, there is no guarantee that the Social Security Administration (SSA) will approve your claim for disability benefits.
The SSA denies a majority of disability claims, which means you should be ready to file an appeal immediately after receiving the letter from the SSA that explains the reasons for the denied disability benefits decision.
Getting legal help from a Social Security attorney can boost your chances of winning an appeal for denied Social Security with Parkinson’s disease.
Meeting the Blue Book Listing
When reviewing a disability claim, a team of medical examiners from the SSA determines whether the medical condition listed in the claim qualifies for financial assistance.
By referring to the SSA Blue Book, the medical examiners find Parkinson’s disease listed in Section 11.06. However, simply living with Parkinson’s disease does not qualify you for disability benefits.
You have to prove you have developed severe symptoms of Parkinson’s disease. Symptoms typically get worse over time and if your Parkinson’s disease has advanced into the later stages of development, then the SSA might overturn your Parkinson’s disease denied disability claim.
Some of the severe symptoms that might qualify you for financial assistance include difficulty standing and walking, as well as advanced amnesia and/or dementia.
Many Parkinson’s patients in the later stages of the disease describe suffering from incredible pain that is produced by acute joint and muscle stiffness.
Prove You Suffer from Severe Symptoms
If you were denied with Parkinson’s disease, you should undergo another battery of diagnostic tests to demonstrate you suffer from severe symptoms.
Although no specific test proves the existence of Parkinson’s, visiting with a neurologist can lead to some conclusive diagnostic tests that are in your favor.
A neurologist might run a SPECT scan to confirm the presence of Parkinson’s before digging deeper by completing several imaging tests.
A series of imaging tests like an MRI can rule out other medical conditions, as well as demonstrate the advanced deterioration of your symptoms.
Complete a Residual Functional Capacity Assessment
Because there are not any specific tests to diagnose Parkinson’s disease, you should undergo a Residual Functional Capacity (RFC) assessment that determines how your symptoms have diminished your work performance.
Completing an RFC assessment can help you win your appeal for a Parkinson’s disability claim. A medical examiner at the SSA puts you through a number of physical and cognitive tests to measure the severity of your symptoms.
Cognitive tests can include analyzing your memory, while physical tests determine your stamina level and how much pain simple exercises cause you.
Although the SSA requires applicants that had their claims denied to visit with an agency medical examiner, you should get a second opinion by scheduling a visit with your physician and then a neurologist recommended by your physician.
Get a Free Case Evaluation
Appealing a denied disability claim requires you to submit more medical evidence that persuades the SSA to green light your original claim
By working with a Social Security lawyer, you can collect and organize the medical documents you need to make a better impression the second time around. Your attorney also is there to ensure you meet every filing deadline, as well as understand how the appeals process works.
Claimants can go through four stages of appeals before having to start over by filing a second claim. Having an attorney by your side can help boost your chances of winning the first stage of the appeals process.
