Talking About Personal Injury Cases

Posted on: 12 November 2019

HIV/AIDS is a devastating diagnosis and this disability is likely to make it impossible to work at your job. When you have a serious illness like HIV/AIDS, the Social Security Administration (SSA) may provide a monthly sum of money for applicants. Getting approved for Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) can be challenging, even for those with afflictions like HIV/AIDS that are recognized by the SSA. Read on to find out more.

Meet the Qualifications

You may know all too well how this disorder affects your daily life and your work life, but the SSA has to have medical proof. That proof comes from seeking help from a doctor and specifically from the results of some diagnostic tests. For example, the SSA will look for an enzyme immunoassay as part of an HIV screening and an HIV nucleic acid as part of a DNA test. If you have not had any of the several HIV/AIDS diagnostic tests, you might still qualify based on showing proof of being prescribed commonly-used prescription drugs to fight the disease and the side-effects of other medications. If you can submit medical records and letters from a doctor, you may fulfill the medical proof requirement.

Gather Proof of Associated Medical Conditions

Another form of proof exists with showing you are afflicted with several medical conditions that have been known to be associated with HIV/AIDS. The extensive list includes certain types of cancer, Castleman disease, pulmonary Kaposi sarcoma, and more. You should collect the necessary proof that you experience a medical condition on the list. 

Provide Adequate Descriptions of Your Functioning Capacity

While medical proof of HIV/AIDS is important, equally important to the SSA are indications that the condition affects your ability to work at your job. The SSA will look at the specific tasks of your most recent job and compare those tasks with the symptoms of HIV/AIDS. In most cases, sufferers of this condition can do very few job tasks due to their impairment level.

Deal with a Denial

Almost all SSDI applicants get a denial after applying. You might as well expect it and be ready to deal with it by speaking to a Social Security attorney. An attorney can help in several ways. First, they can help with the initial application by ensuring the information is enough to result in approval. Then, they can prepare you for your appeal hearing after the denial where many applicants end up getting approved.

You deserve benefits but you may need legal help to get them. Speak to a Social Security lawyer today.