You can receive SSDI for any disability that prevents you from performing your job. This includes a wide array of mental illnesses.
The Social Security Administration has a set of criteria they evaluate to assess whether someone’s mental illness will be covered by SSDI benefits. You'll need to provide documentation that you have a medically determinable impairment, that your condition limits your ability to find or keep steady work, and that your condition has been ongoing for at least 12 months.
Proving you have a medically determinable impairment can be harder than proving a physical disability. The SSA will be looking for symptoms, signs, and laboratory findings from the onset of your illness. Laboratory findings would include any tests you've taken, including psychological test findings.
It’s important to understand the difference between a sign and a symptom: Symptoms are your personal descriptions of your physical and mental impairments. Psychiatric signs, on the other hand, must be medically demonstrable and documented by the appropriate medical source.
For mental illness, your medical history will be of the utmost importance in proving your SSDI claim. You'll want to make sure all your documentation arrives at the Social Security Administration so they can make the most informed decision possible.
If you've applied for SSDI for a mental illness and were denied, our office may be able to help. We work with you through the SSDI appeals process to make sure your case is as strong as possible.
Call us today at 816-842-7100 to speak with an attorney that will fight to get you the compensation you deserve. Or you can click here to email us and schedule your free consultation.