Facts about Mini Strokes and Filing for DisabilityThese selected pages answer some of the most basic, but also some of the most important, questions for individuals who are considering filing a claim for disability benefits. Facts about the condition 1) A mini-stroke, also known as a transient ischemic attack (TIA), is a stroke that lasts for less than 24 hours. 2) A mini-stroke is the same as a stroke (but shorter in length), characterized by the blood supply being blocked from a certain part of the brain, usually due to a blood clot,, causing the part of the body controlled by that part of the brain to lose functioning due to lack of blood and oxygen. 3) Symptoms of a mini-stroke are dependent upon the area of the brain that has lost functioning, though many patients report weakness, tingling, or numbness on one side of the body, headache, dizziness, confusion, decrease in vision, difficulty speaking and short-term paralysis on one side of the face. 4) Mini strokes can be due to genetics. If there is a history of strokes in your family, be certain to watch for signs and let your doctor know so he can prescribe healthy lifestyle choices for you and make suggestions to lower your risk. 5) There are lifestyle choices that can increase the risk for developing mini strokes, whether or not you are genetically predisposed. Not controlling high cholesterol, high blood pressure, and diabetes can all increase the risk of mini strokes, as can smoking. 6) If you have had a mini stroke, it is more likely that you will have another mini stroke or a full-blown stroke in the future. Aspirin therapy is one way that doctors try to prevent future mini strokes or stroke. Aspirin is an anti-platelet and helps prevent clotting. Other anti-coagulants and medications may be prescribed. 7) A mini stroke is pretty much a last warning for the patient to make serious lifestyle changes if they do not want to have a stroke, such as quitting smoking, decreasing blood pressure, exercising regularly, and eating a healthy diet that will improve their overall health. Qualifying for disability benefits with this condition Whether or not you qualify for disability and, as a result, are approved for disability benefits will depend entirely on the information obtained from your medical records. This includes whatever statements and treatment notes that may have been obtained from your treating physician (a doctor who has a history of treating your condition and is, therefore, qualified to comment as to your condition and prognosis). It also includes discharge summaries from hospital stays, reports of imaging studies (such as xrays, MRIs, and CT scans) and lab panels (i.e. bloodwork) as well as reports from physical therapy. In many disability claims, it may also include the results of a report issued by an independent physician who examines you at the request of the Social Security Administration.
Qualifying for SSD or SSI benefits will also depend on the information obtained from your vocational, or work, history if you are an adult, or academic records if you are a minor-age child. In the case of adults, your work history information will allow a disability examiner (examiners make decisions at the initial claim and reconsideration appeal levels, but not at the hearing level where a judges decides the outcome of the case) to A) classify your past work, B) determine the physical and mental demands of your past work, C) decide if you can go back to a past job, and D) whether or not you have the ability to switch to some type of other work. The important thing to keep in mind is that the social security administration does not award benefits based on simply having a condition, but, instead, will base an approval or denial on the extent to which a condition causes functional limitations. Functional limitations can be great enough to make work activity not possible (or, for a child, make it impossible to engage in age-appropriate activities).
Why are so many disability cases lost at the disability application and reconsideration appeal levels? There are several reasons but here are just two: 1) Social Security makes no attempt to obtain a statement from a claimant's treating physician. By contrast, at the hearing level, a claimant's disability attorney or disability representative will generally obtain and present this type of statement to a judge. Note: it is not enough for a doctor to simply state that their patient is disabled. To satisy Social Security's requirements, the physician must list in what ways and to what extent the individual is functionally limited. For this reason, many representatives and attorneys request that the physician fill out and sign a specialized medical source statement that captures the correct information. Solid Supporting statements from physicians easily make the difference between winning or losing a disability case at the hearing level. 2) Prior to the hearing level, a claimant will not have the opportunity to explain how their condition limits them, nor will their attorney or representative have the opportunity to make a presentation based on the evidence of the case. This is because at the initial levels of the disability system, a disability examiner decides the case without meeting the claimant. The examiner may contact the claimant to gather information on activities of daily living and with regard to medical treatment or past jobs, but usually nothing more. At the hearing level, however, presenting an argument for approval based on medical evidence that has been obtained and submitted is exactly what happens. About the Author: Tim Moore is a former Social Security Disability Examiner in North Carolina, has been interviewed by the NY Times and the LA Times on the disability system, and is an Accredited Disability Representative (ADR) in North Carolina. For assistance on a disability application or Appeal in NC, click here. Most popular topics on SSDRC.com Social Security Disability in North Carolina Common Mistakes to avoid after being denied for Disability Tips to Prepare for Filing for Social Security Disability or SSI Advice to Win SSD and SSI Benefit Claims Social Security Disability SSI Questions What is the difference between Social Security Disability and SSI? How to get disability for depression Getting disability for fibromyalgia SSI disability for children with ADHD What is the Application Process for Social Security Disability and SSI? Social Security Disability SSI Exam tips More Social Security Disability SSI Questions What makes you eligible for Social Security Disability or SSI? Related Body System Impairments: Filing for Social Security Disability or SSI with Multiple Sclerosis MS Why Is It Hard to be Found Disabled for Social Security Disability or SSI for Seizures? Do You Automatically Get Approved For Disability If You Had A Stroke? Facts about Mini Strokes and Filing for Disability Multiple Sclerosis (MS), Social Security Disability, and Applying for Benefits Seizure Disorder, Social Security Disability, and Applying for Benefits Why is Charcot-marie-tooth not on the Social Security Disability list of impairments? Charcot-marie-tooth disease and Filing for Disability Social Security Disability SSI and Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) Dystonia and Filing for Disability Dysautonomia and Filing for Disability Grand Mal Seizures and Filing for Disability Narcolepsy, Social Security Disability, and Applying for Benefits Epilepsy and Filing for Disability Hydrocephalus and Filing for Disability Memory Loss and Filing for Disability Facts about Stroke and Filing for Disability What conditions will qualify for disability in Missouri? How much can you get for disability in Missouri? Disability requirements and criteria in Missouri |
