Our Experienced Social Security Disability Lawyer Helps Clients Suffering From Frequent Migraines Navigate the SSDI Application Process to Secure Benefits
Living with severe headaches and migraines can significantly impact your daily life and, in some cases, your ability to engage in substantial gainful employment. If you’re suffering from frequent headaches or migraines that make it impossible to maintain regular attendance at your job, you might qualify for Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI). Phillip M. Hendry Law can help you review your eligibility, complete your application, and navigate the Social Security Administration (SSA) disability claims process to recover the benefits you deserve when disabling headaches or migraines prevent you from working. Complete the contact form or call our Bossier City, Louisiana, law office at 318-553-5900 to request a free initial consultation.
Migraines aren’t just bad headaches. Though migraines often include intense headaches that can cause severe, throbbing pain or a pulsing sensation—typically on one side of the head—these symptoms are often accompanied by debilitating nausea and vomiting and extreme light and sound sensitivity that can last for hours or even days. These symptoms make work difficult, if not impossible. While occasional headaches and migraines are unlikely to qualify for SSDI, chronic migraines could make you eligible for benefits. Here’s what you should know about applying for SSDI for headaches and migraines, including how working with our knowledgeable and experienced Louisiana disability lawyer to complete your application might increase your chances for approval.
SSDI Eligibility and Qualifying for Chronic Migraines
Having a disability doesn’t mean that you’ll automatically qualify for SSDI. The SSA thoroughly evaluates the severity and duration of your condition and its impact on your ability to work to determine your eligibility for benefits. To qualify, you must:
- Have earned sufficient work credits working in jobs covered by Social Security
- Be unable to maintain substantial gainful activity (SGA)
- Have a severe medically determinable impairment (MDI) that has lasted or is expected to last for at least one year or result in death
When evaluating disability claims, the SSA refers to a guide called the Blue Book, which lists qualifying conditions and the specific criteria you must meet to be considered disabled. Proving that your chronic migraines count as a qualifying MDI can be challenging, as the Blue Book doesn’t include a listing for the condition. However, if you can show that your migraines equal the severity of another listing, you could still qualify for much-needed SSDI benefits. Our attorney can prepare your application to present your claim in the best possible light.
Thorough Medical Documentation Is Key to Qualifying for SSDI With Chronic Migraines
Providing extensive medical evidence from health care professionals the SSA recognizes as acceptable medical sources (AMS) can increase your chances of approval for SSDI. In addition to medical records and diagnostic test results, detailed statements from your treating physicians describing the frequency, severity, and duration of your migraines and the functional limitations they impose on your daily life can be valuable evidence that strengthens your claim for benefits. Keeping a thorough headache and migraine journal that includes in-depth information about your symptoms and what they prevent you from accomplishing can give the SSA a more complete picture of your migraine condition and its effects.
Our Louisiana Social Security Disability Lawyer Helps Clients With Chronic Migraines Overcome Challenges to Obtain the SSDI Benefits They Deserve
While getting approved for SSDI benefits for severe headaches and chronic migraines is challenging, it is not impossible. Preparing a successful SSDI application for migraines requires careful attention to detail and a comprehensive understanding of the SSA's evaluation process. Fortunately, you’ve come to the right firm for assistance. Our skilled legal team can guide you through the complexities of the SSDI application, helping you complete paperwork, gather essential medical evidence, and present your case in the most compelling manner.