Lupus
If you suffer from severe lupus – known medically as systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) – you know that it’s a very serious disease that affects the entire body.
Because it is a chronic autoimmune disease that causes inflammation of the skin, joints, kidneys, brain, and other organs, it may be hard to perform even the simplest of daily activities. It may be impossible to work.
To make matters worse, the disease strikes most people between the ages of 10 and 50. Adults not yet at retirement age may not have other sources of income. With high-dose medications that cause serious side effects, hospital stays, and intensive treatment with specialists, you may be struggling to pay your bills. You may worry about how not working will impact your family.
Social Security disability (SSD) benefits are designed to help people with disabilities who can’t work make ends meet. Unfortunately, the Social Security Administration denies over three-quarters of initial applications.
At Edgar Snyder & Associates, we’ve helped many people with severe lupus get the SSD benefits they desperately need. We’re ready to put decades of experience to work for you.
Lupus, SSD Eligibility, and the Evaluation Process
It’s important to know that having lupus doesn’t automatically mean you’ll be eligible for SSD benefits. When you submit an application, the Social Security Administration is going to look for “proof” that you suffer from severe lupus that makes you unable to work in any capacity – not just the job you had before.
To be considered “disabled,” lupus (and other medical complications from the disease) must:
- Prevent you from working full-time
- Keep you from working in any capacity (not just in the job you held previously)
- Have lasted – or is expected to last – for at least one year
- Be life-threatening
If you suffer from the following medical complications due to lupus, you may be more likely to qualify for SSD benefits:
- Brain injuries and nervous system disorders
- Disorders of the digestive system
- Heart disease, including abnormal heart rhythm
- Lung disease
- Skin disorders
- Kidney failure
- Stroke
- Other life-threatening medical conditions
It’s critical that you visit your specialist regularly and follow through with your prescribed treatment plan. The Social Security Administration’s evaluation process is tough and complicated, and you want to increase your chances of being approved.
SSD Benefits and Work History
Basically, the difference between Social Security disability benefits and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) is work history.
If you paid into the Social Security system within the past five years, you may be eligible for SSD benefits. If you haven’t held a job long enough, or recently enough, you may be eligible for SSI benefits instead.
We Can Help You Apply or File an Appeal
It may be hard to understand, but to the Social Security Administration you’re a claim number. They don’t see how you suffer and how having severe lupus has impacted your life.
But at Edgar Snyder & Associates, we’ve spent decades representing people who have suffered from mental health conditions and physical disabilities, including lupus. We’ve helped thousands get the SSD benefits they need to live and pay their medical bills.
When you choose our law firm to help you with your Social Security disability claim, you can trust that we’ll treat you with respect. We will take the time to get to know you and learn how lupus has affected your ability to work and perform daily tasks. Our experienced attorneys will explain the legal process to you, answer your questions about Social Security disability, and update you on the progress of your claim.
The bottom line: We will treat you the way you deserve to be treated.
If you haven’t yet applied for SSD benefits, we can help you apply – we’ll even submit the application for you.
If the Social Security Administration denied your application, you must act quickly. You have only 60 days to file an appeal. We win the majority of appeals for our clients.
If you’re still not sure hiring a lawyer is worth it, know that we operate on a contingent fee basis. If we don’t win your appeal, or if we help you apply and you don’t receive SSD benefits, you won’t owe us anything.
Get a No Obligation, Free Legal Evaluation Today
If you suffer from severe lupus and are having trouble paying your bills because you can’t work, don’t waste any time.
Contact Edgar Snyder & Associates at 1-866-9-4EDGAR (1-866-943-3427), or fill out our free SSD legal evaluation form. We can help you apply, or if your application was denied, we can represent you in your appeal.
Get started today. Remember, you have only 60 days to file an appeal. Hiring an attorney may mean the difference between whether or not you collect SSD benefits.
