Disability Benefits for Stroke

Receiving Disability Benefits for Stroke

According to the CDC, every year about 795,000 Americans will suffer a stroke—about 600,000 of those will be the first stroke, while the remainder will be a recurrent attack. In 2018, about one in every six deaths from cardiovascular disease was the result of a stroke. During an ischemic stroke, blood flow to the brain is effectively blocked.  Strokes are a leading cause of serious long-term disability, significantly reducing mobility in more than half of all stroke survivors over the age of 65. 

If your stroke has left you unable to work or manage your day-to-day tasks, you could qualify for SSD benefits. If you are having trouble obtaining disability benefits following your stroke, Carmichael Law Group can help. We have been helping people just like you for many, many years. Our experience is unparalleled. We combine that experience with knowledge, skill, and compassion resulting in a law firm that fights for you and for your future. 

While meeting the impairment listing of SSDI is important, equally important is how we tell your story. We will show that your condition has had a serious, adverse impact on your life and your ability to work. This will carry as much or more weight that just the “title” of your impairment. We will also ensure you meet SSDI’s five-step review process. Combining your story and the five-step review process gives you the best chance of receiving your disability benefits. 

Social Security does not pay for partial disability or short-term disability—only total disability. SSA determines whether you are disabled by asking the following five questions:

• Are you currently working? If you are working, and you are consistently making more than $1,310 per month, you will probably not be considered disabled.
• Does your disability prevent you from performing basic work-related activities (walking, standing, sitting, remembering)? In short, is your condition considered “severe?”
• Does your disabling medical condition meet or equal the severity of a listing found in the Blue Book list of medical conditions?
• Are you able to do the work you did prior to your disability?
• Can you make an adjustment to do any other type of work?

What Is a Stroke?

Although strokes most commonly affect those over the age of 65, about one-quarter of all stroke victims are under this age. A stroke affects the arteries that lead to and within the brain and is the 5th leading cause of death and disability in the United States. When a blood vessel carrying oxygen and nutrients to the brain is blocked by a blood clot or ruptures, the brain is unable to get the oxygen and blood it needs, resulting in the death of brain cells. An ischemic stroke is caused by a clot obstructing the flow of blood to the brain. A ruptured blood vessel causes a hemorrhagic stroke, and a mini-stroke or transient ischemic attack is the result of a temporary blood clot. 

When a stroke occurs near the back of the brain, a vision disability is likely to result, depending on the obstruction and the extent of affected brain tissue. Since one side of the brain controls the opposite side of the body, a stroke affecting one side will cause neurological complications on the other side. Therefore, a stroke that occurs on the left side of the brain could result in speech and language difficulties, full or partial paralysis on the right side of the body, loss of memory, and behavior that is slow and cautious, regardless of the victim’s personality prior to the stroke. 

If the stroke is on the right side of the brain, the left side of the body will be affected, including some level of paralysis on the left side of the body, a behavioral style that is quick and inquisitive (again, regardless of the victim’s personality prior to the stroke), neurological difficulties including memory loss, and vision issues. A stroke that occurs in the brain stem may affect both sides of the body, leaving the person in what is known as a “locked-in” state. This means the victim of the stroke is unable to speak or achieve any level of movement below the neck. 

The beginning of a stroke is often characterized by a sudden numbness on one side. Those who arrive at the ER within 3 hours of their first stroke symptom typically have less disability three months after the stroke than those whose care was delayed. The typical risks for a stroke include high cholesterol, high blood pressure, smoking, diabetes, and obesity. A stroke victim may have concurrent medical conditions such as a traumatic brain injury, diabetes, or heart disease.