How to Get Disability Benefits for Narcolepsy in Chicago, IL
If you live with narcolepsy, you know what happens: excessive sleepiness and sudden attacks of sleep—even in the daytime.
In more serious cases, hallucinations and episodes of partial or total loss of muscle control. There’s no cure for narcolepsy, but in some cases symptoms can be controlled with prescription medicine or taking naps.
Since people with narcolepsy find it difficult to stay awake for long periods, regardless of the circumstances, this impairment can cause serious disruptions in daily routines and work.
Many narcoleptics face insurmountable difficulties in holding onto a job.
Working while dealing with the symptoms of narcolepsy means having a place to lie down and take frequent naps during a work shift. Most employers are unable to make these kinds of accommodations.
Because of the drowsiness associated with the condition, many narcoleptics are unable to work at jobs that require driving, operating heavy equipment, using power tools, climbing ladders or scaffolding—in short, they cannot engage in any type of work where their own safety or co-workers could be compromised.
If you’re unable to work due to the symptoms of narcolepsy, the Social Security Administration (SSA) has two programs which may be able to offer financial assistance—Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) for those who have worked and made Social Security contributions, and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) for those with little or no income.
Disability benefits help you maintain your stability and independence.
But to qualify for either program, you have to prove that your impairment is so disabling that it prevents you from working in just about any capacity.
You can get help in this effort from the Chicago Social Security Disability lawyers at Nash Disability Law. You pay no fee for a disability lawyer until you win benefits, and an experienced lawyers makes the process easier on you.
In Social Security’s own numbers, Nash Disability Law ranks among the top Illinois-based firms for the total benefits we’ve secured for our clients. We’ve helped thousands of people.
WE’VE HELPED MORE PEOPLE IN THE CHICAGO AREA WIN DISABILITY BENEFITS THAN ANY OTHER LAW FIRM.
The Big Challenge in Getting Disability Benefits for Narcolepsy
If you’re incapacitated by narcolepsy, there are several hurdles you may have to overcome to be granted disability benefits.
The Social Security Administration maintains a list of medical conditions with detailed requirements on when it finds a mental or physical condition to be disabling.
If an individual matches the requirements in the listings (also called the “Blue Book”), they should easily qualify for disability payments.
Unfortunately, there’s no specific Blue Book listing for narcolepsy. That makes your path to winning benefits less straightforward.
But there is still a way.
You can meet the requirements of another impairment listing. And you can document exactly how your condition interferes with your real, day-to-day life, regardless of your diagnosis.
Find out more about how the rules apply to your case in a free conversation with the Chicago disability attorneys at Nash.
How to Qualify for Social Security Disability for Narcolepsy
The alternative way to qualify for disability benefits for narcolepsy is to show, other than your diagnosis, the details of how your condition creates limitations for you and interferes with your ability to work.
You must demonstrate that your symptoms prevent you from sustaining full-time competitive employment on a consistent and reliable basis. Like all qualifying disabilities, your condition must be expected to last and keep you out of work for at least 12 months.
You’ll need to work with your doctor to develop a detailed record of your symptoms and limitations.
Detailed medical evidence along with “objective findings”—meaning tests and observations conducted by others—will give you the best chance of winning disability benefits based on narcolepsy.
You should report your symptoms to your doctor and leave nothing out.
For example, if you have to take naps each day, or easily doze off in the middle of chores or activities, tell your doctor so it becomes part of your medical record (and so the doctor can treat your condition properly.)
In the reports they make, your doctor should explain thoroughly and precisely how your narcolepsy prevents you from working.
Because of the loss of muscle control often associated with narcolepsy, your doctor should spell out how your narcolepsy affects your ability to stand, walk, sit, lift and carry objects.
Your doctor should explain how your fatigue affects your ability to function.
Your medical evidence should include the results of any EEGs, sleep studies, and genetic tests your doctor has conducted.
Also, if you’ve kept sleep journals to document your sleep patterns, you should submit copies of those. If you haven’t kept any journals, start doing so right away.
Finally, submit a list of all the medications you take for your condition along with a description of any side effects you experience.
The process of applying for disability benefits or appealing a denial is complex and can be frustrating.
Experienced disability lawyers at Nash Disability Law fight for your rights—and your access to financial relief that can make a major difference in your life.
