What Are My Chances For Eligibility
To get protection under the ADA, you have to prove that a disability like bipolar disorder severely limits your ability to work. The ADA covers companies with 15 or more employees.
Getting Social Security benefits can be trickier. You need to have a disability and be a part of a low-income household or have worked for a certain number of years.
Not everyone with bipolar disorder qualifies. About two-thirds of applications for disability benefits are denied at first.
To get Social Security benefits, the SSA will ask you to show that:
- youve lived with bipolar disorder for at least 1 year
- your condition is severe enough to prevent you from doing your job or any other job
- your disability will last for more than a year
To qualify for SSDI, you need to have worked at a job where you paid Social Security taxes for a certain number of years.
The older you are, the more years you need to have worked. A 42-year-old must have worked for 5 years, while a 30-year-old only needs 2 years of work.
To qualify for SSI, you need to earn less than a certain amount of money. That amount varies by state. You also cant have more than $2,000 in assets .
What Are My Rights Under The Ada/social Security
The ADA prevents people who are disabled from being discriminated against at work. Your company cant cancel a job offer or fire you because you have bipolar disorder.
You must be able to do the basic tasks your job requires, but you can ask for accommodations. Accommodations are changes to your schedule or responsibilities that make your job easier to do.
Examples of accommodations for people with bipolar disorder are:
- a flexible schedule
- extra breaks during the day
- a desk organizer or planner
- noise cancelling headphones
- job coaching
- a support animal
Under the ADA, you also have a right to privacy. You dont have to tell your employer that you have bipolar disorder unless you want to share that information.
You can get Social Security disability benefits if your bipolar disorder is severe enough to prevent you from working or if it limits your ability to do your job.
Whether you can work depends on how severe your bipolar disorder is, and how much your symptoms affect your daily life.
Symptoms like mood swings, irritability, and trouble concentrating can make it harder to do many jobs.
In general, people with bipolar disorder have a harder time working than those who dont. Between never go back to work full time after their symptoms start.
It may be harder for you to work if you have:
- severe bipolar disorder
- frequent episodes of mania and/or depression
- constant low-level depression
- psychotic symptoms, such as hallucinations or delusions
Medical Conditions That Qualify For Disability
Not everyone who is disabled will satisfy meeting the qualifications for Social Security disability.
Approved conditions are added in the impairment listing manual by Disability Determination Services . It is the ultimate determining whether or not someone makes the cut for disability.
It is required that the person diagnosed with any of these medical conditions have certain severe symptoms. Limitations on performance are also considered.
Take a look at these five disability conditions to see if you can qualify for it.
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Talk To A Disability Lawyer
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Understanding Your Unique Symptoms
When filing your long term disability claim, the insurance company will want to know about your bipolar disorder symptoms. They must understand how your symptoms are disabling to you and your career. Remember, bipolar disorder presents differently in different people. Each person will have a different cycling pattern, and the pattern may change unexpectedly. It is not fair to broadly categorize people with bipolar disorder because it is a unique condition that affects different people differently. To fairly evaluate your bipolar disorder long term disability claim, the insurance company must understand how your condition personally affects your functioning.
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Winning Disability Benefits For Bipolar Mood Disorder
Are the long-term symptoms of bipolar mood disorder preventing you from doing your job? Do you need to win disability benefits for bipolar mood disorder?
You may be suffering from the long-term symptoms of bipolar mood disorder, and you may want to learn more about gaining disability benefits to compensate you.
Social Security Should Grant Disability Benefits For Depression Or Bipolar Disorder To Those Who Have The Symptoms And Limitations Listed In Its Listing For Depression Or Bipolar Disorder
By Bethany K. Laurence, Attorney
Depression is a common complaint made by individuals trying to obtain Social Security Disability Insurance benefits or Supplemental Security Income disability benefits. Depression can cause symptoms of poor concentration, low energy, problems sleeping, and suicidal thoughts. If you have bipolar disorder , you may have depression mixed with periods of manic behavior with rapid speech.
To receive disability benefits, you will need to show proof of more than just a diagnosis of depression or bipolar disorder. You will need to present evidence that your depression or bipolar disorder is so severe that you are unable to work or function well. According to Social Security statistics, about two-thirds of applicants who apply for disability on the basis of major clinical depression or bipolar disorder end up getting approved .
Following is a list of important issues the Social Security Administration will consider when evaluating your claim, and tips for how you can increase your chances of obtaining benefits.
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Listing 1208 Personality And Impulse
12.08 Personality and impulse-control disorders , satisfied by A and B:
This list of symptoms may or may not contain all of your mental issues. However, even if it contains some of your symptoms, you should make sure to have your treating physician write about these symptoms in his or her progress notes. Progress notes are the notes a doctor makes when you visit the doctors office. Your doctor bases his or her progress notes on the symptoms you report and on observation. If you fail to report your symptoms to your doctor, then they wont appear in the progress notes and you will not get the treatment you need for your mental condition.
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How Much Money Will I Get From Social Security For My Disability
When I meet with potential clients, one of the questions I am often asked is How much I am going to get from Social Security for my disability?
Most clients need to know what their Social Security benefit amount will be. Heres my lawyer answer It depends.
How much money you get on disability will depend on a number of things. These things include:
- If SSDI, how much did you earn and pay in taxes?
- If SSDI, do you have dependent children?
- If SSI, do you have any other income?
- If SSI, are you receiving room and board for free from family or friends?
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Bipolar Disorder Is Considered A Qualifying Disorder For Ssdi
When thinking about Social Security Disability benefits , many people first consider physical disabilities. Yet millions of Americans have mental health conditions that limit their ability to work such as bipolar disorder. Although bipolar disorder is relatively rare, the majority of people with this condition report that they are seriously disabled.
Bipolar disorder is a mental illness that is characterized by unusual shifts in mood, energy and activity levels. People who have been diagnosed with bipolar disorder often have varying abilities to carry out daily tasks. Bipolar disorder involves clear changes in mood, from manic, highly energized periods to more depressed, sad times.
Adults Living With A Disability
Adults who are disabled still need to be a functioning part of society like everyone else. They should have a source of income to care for themselves.
Fortunately, the unemployment rate for people living with a disability today has .
This is thanks to the efforts of disabled people making use of their . Even with a job, people with certain medical conditions can still qualify to receive Social Security disability.
How much you receive in disability will depend on other factors such as total income too.
Still, unemployment rates are a problem for millions of people who are unable to find work. In these circumstances, disability may be their only source of income.
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Are Your Medical Records Sufficient
In many mental health cases, you will see handwritten notes from either a primary care physician, a psychologist or a psychiatrist. The good new about this is that many patients with depression have a consistent history of regular visits to a mental health professional, as well as a solid professional relationship with that professional.
A common problem with mental health treatment records, however, relates to the fact that claimants often change providers because of insurance changes, financial problems or because of an apparent lack of progress.
You should be aware that depression is a fairly common mental health condition and the work activity limitations arising from depression or anxiety can range greatly. Social Security decision makers will look for some very specific things in your medical record. There are basically three ways to win a depression or anxiety case:
Lets review each way you can win a depression or anxiety case:
Bipolar Disorder And Your Ability To Perform Sedentary Work
Sedentary work is work that does not involve significant physical labor. This encompasses mostly sit down jobs. Most such jobs require you to be able to interact with others in an office setting, or to concentrate on tasks that require manual dexterity. Those with bipolar disorder may have a great deal of difficulty doing either of these when they are in a mixed mood episode.
Because of this, it is important when applying for Social Security Disability that you include detailed accounts of your mixed mood episodes, including their duration and severity. If your mental health professional is not already having you keep a journal or diary, start keeping one, as this may be used for evidence during a hearing.
If you apply for Social Security Disability benefits due to bipolar disorder, consider having a qualified SSD lawyer handle your claim for you. Besides the fact that your claim is considerably more likely to be accepted, your Social Security Disability attorney will save you a lot of the stress of going through the process.
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Win Disability Benefits With A Mental Disorder Impairment Listing
When analyzing Mental Disorder claims, Social Security will use a Listing of Impairments. There are special Listings for Mental Disorders. The beauty of Impairment Listings is that if you meet the requirements of a Listed Impairment, you win. The Mental Listings include the following disorders:
You can be diagnosed with any one or more of the above Mental Disorders and still not meet a Listing. Indeed, many people work with Mental Impairments such as depression, anxiety, PTSD, Agoraphobia, and other Listed disorders. When work limitations caused by the Mental Disorders become too severe, that is when you can win disability with a Mental Disorder by meeting a Listing. Social Security refers to this as the B Criteria requirement of the Mental Disorder Listings.
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Working While You Receive Ssi Or Ssdi Benefits
If you want to try to go back to work while you are on SSDI or SSI, it is important to try to plan ahead. You will not automatically lose your disability benefits if you go back to work. SSA has special rules called work incentives. They allow you to keep all or part of your benefits while you try out your ability to work. SSAs rules concerning work, however, are complex and can be confusing. There are agencies in Illinois that can help you plan and determine how work earnings may affect your benefits. For agencies that can help you, see the directory of agencies on SSAs website. Note: Be sure to let SSA know if you start a job or leave a job. For SSI you must also report any changes in your monthly income, your assets, or your living situation. Changes can affect the amount of your benefit. Reporting right away will help you avoid any overpayment problems with SSA. Keep a record of any change that you report. Then you can show that you made a timely report even if SSA later claims it never received it.
Working and SSDI benefits
After the Trial Work Period ends, there is a 36 months where you cant get a SSDI monthly payment if you earn more than $1,310. This period is called the Extended Period of Eligibility. During these 36 continuous months, you can receive your full SSDI check for any month that:
- Your earnings fall below $1,310,
- You lose your job, or
- You become unable to continue to do your job.
Working and SSI
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Heres How Social Security Calculates Your Ssdi Benefits
By Melissa Linebaugh, Contributing Author
How much your Social Security disability benefit will be is based on your covered earningsthe wages that you paid Social Security taxes onprior to becoming disabled. is the federal insurance program that provides benefits to qualified workers who can no longer work. To be eligible, you must be insured under the program and meet the Social Security Administrations definition of disabled. SSI payments, on the other hand, arent based on past earnings.)
Your SSDI benefit payment may be reduced if you get disability payments from other sources, such as workers comp, but regular income doesnt affect your payment amount.
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Disability Discussions: 5 Medical Conditions That Qualify You For Disability In 2020
The above picture is of a man sitting at the edge of his bed with his right hand on his forehead.
5 Medical Conditions That Qualify You for Disability in 2021
There are internal and external factors involved in medical conditions.
Medical conditions can impede functioning in life mentally and physically. If health disorders are not addressed, it can make the existing problem worse.
Millions who have disabilities fail to get proper treatment because they do not have the funds for treatment.
If you take the time to see if you qualify for disability benefits, you can have the money to take care of yourself the right way.
This can add years to your life as well as your quality of life.
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Symptoms Of Depression Include:
- Increased activity generally, especially goal-directed activity
- Increased reckless behavior such as gambling, spending sprees, social behaviors
Bipolar II is more common than Bipolar I. Like Bipolar I, it is often first diagnosed in young people. However, unlike Bipolar I, individuals with Bipolar II never experience manic episodes. Instead, they experience periods of major depression along with periods of hypomania. Unlike mania, the symptoms of hypomania are not severe enough to cause severe impairments in social and occupational functioning. However, this does not mean that individuals with Bipolar II cannot qualify for disability benefits.
Bipolar disorder is included in the Social Security Listings of Impairments, which means that if your illness has been diagnosed by a qualified medical practitioner and is severe enough to keep you from working, you are eligible to receive disability benefits. However, because there are no medical tests for these mental illnesses, it is vital that you see a psychologist or psychiatrist who can support your application.
About Bipolar Disorder And Disability
Bipolar disorder is a mental illness associated with episodes of mood swings ranging from serious mania to depression. Episodes of bipolar disorder can last a few hours to several months and consist of highs and/or lows . Others experience what is known as mixed mania or the combination of feeling manic and depressive at the same time. The individual feels all of the feelings of a manic high while also experiencing the negative feelings of depression . Many people consider mixed mania as the worst part of bipolar disorder.
Here are the symptoms related to episodes of mania and depression:
Symptoms of Mania
- Feelings of worthlessness and pessimism
- Inability to focus and concentrate
- Thoughts of suicide or death
- Repeatedly going over thoughts
According to the National Institute of Mental Health, approximately 5.7 million people are affected by bipolar disorder in a given year. There is no cure to the disorder but it can be controllable for some individuals with medication or psychotherapy. If the disorder cant be controlled through varies treatments, its symptoms can cause distress and disruption to an individuals everyday life.
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