 SSDRC Filing a Social Security Disability Application - How to File & the Information that is Needed by SSA Do you need a Lawyer at the Administrative Law Judge Disability Hearing? Social Security Disability Back pay and How Long it Takes to Qualify for it How do you prove your disability case if you have a mental condition? What Can I Do to Improve My Chances of Winning Disability Benefits Common Mistakes after Receiving a Denial of benefits If You Get Approved For SSDI Will You Also Get Medicare? How much is paid for the Social Security Disability Attorney Fee? How long does it take to be approved for SSI or Social Security disability? How To Get Disability Through SSDI or SSI Approved Should you get Help from a Disability Attorney before the Claim has been Denied? Answers to questions about SSD and SSI disability Qualifying for Disability - What is Social Security Looking for? How do I check the status of my Social Security disability claim? What Expenses Will A Social Security Attorney Charge In Addition To The Fee? |
Facts about Panic Attacks and Filing for DisabilityHow to prove you are disabled and win disability benefits 1. Although most people think that panic attacks are simply due to stress or frazzled nerves, they are an actual medical condition that responds to various treatments. 2. It is not known exactly what causes our bodies to go into panic mode, though stress, genetics, and changes in brain functioning are thought to be potential causes. 3. Panic attacks can happen randomly; you don’t need to be feeling stressed about anything in particular, or having any particular fearful thought or experience to have a panic attack. There is usually no apparent reason for a panic attack. 4. A panic attack is basically the same body reaction that you would have if being chased by someone trying to kill you (a robber or a bear), though the difference is that no outside sources have caused this sudden panic attack. 5. Panic attacks can happen once or twice in a lifetime, or be recurrent and often. If they happen frequently you may have panic disorder. No one knows exactly how many people suffer from panic attacks, though it is estimated that somewhere between 3-6 million Americans suffer from panic disorder. 6. Symptoms of a panic attack include: chest pain, increased heart rate, trembling, chills, sweating, hot flashes, strong sense of impending doom or fear of dying, dizziness, hyperventilation, and problems swallowing or breathing. 7. Panic attacks happen suddenly and normally last for about 30 minutes, with the peak happening at about ten minutes into the attack. Sometimes they may last much longer, such as several hours or a full day. 8. It is believed that the risk of panic attacks is increased by a family history of panic attacks, serious childhood trauma, traumatic life events (rape, car accident, robbery, etc.) or significant life changes such as moving, losing a loved one, or having a baby. Panic attacks may also be caused be severe life stress. 9. Treatment may involve medications such as various antidepressants and sedatives, and psychotherapy (usually cognitive behavioral therapy). Lifestyle choices may also help, such as eliminating caffeine and all drugs, exercising, getting adequate rest, and doing yoga, meditation and guided imagery. Can you qualify for disability benefits with this condition? Whether or not you qualify for disability and, as a result, are approved for disability benefits will depend entirely on the information obtained from your medical records. This includes whatever statements may have been obtained from your treating physician (a doctor who has a history of treating your condition and is, therefore, qualified to comment as to your condition and prognosis). It will also depend on the information obtained from your vocational, or work, history if you are an adult, or academic records if you are a minor-age child. The important thing to keep in mind is that the social security administration does not award benefits based on simply having a condition, but, instead, will base an approval or denial on the extent to which a condition causes functional limitations. Functional limitations can be great enough to make work activity not possible (or, for a child, make it impossible to engage in age-appropriate activities). Why are so many disability cases lost at the disability application and reconsideration appeal levels? Speaking as a former Disability Claims Examiner, I can state that there are several reasons: 1) Social Security makes no attempt to obtain a statement from a claimant's treating physician. By contrast, at the hearing level, a claimant and his or her disability attorney will generally obtain and present this type of statement to a judge; 2) Prior to the hearing level, a claimant will not have the opportunity to explain how their condition limits them, nor will their attorney or representative have the opportunity to make a presentation based on the evidence of the case. At the hearing level, of course, this is exactly what happens. And a number of disability representatives will also take such steps even earlier, at the reconsideration appeal level; 3) Disability judges, unlike disability examiners who decides cases at the first two levels of the system, can make independent decisions without being overturned by immediate supervisors--which happens frequently. 
Return to: SSDRC, or the Questions, Answers, Tips, and Advice page Topics and Questions Other Links SSD and SSI are Federal Programs The title II Social Security Disability and title 16 SSI Disability programs operate under federal guidelines and, therefore, the program requirements--medical and non-medical--apply to all states: Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Indiana, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Wyoming Recent approval and denial statistics for various states can be viewed here: Social Security Disability, SSI Approval and Denial Statistics by state Special Section: Disability Lawyers and unnecessary claim denials |