What Are Hidden Disabilities?
Individuals with “hidden disabilities” are often misunderstood and overlooked. When it comes to claiming and receiving benefits from the Social Security Administration (SSA), specifically Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI), it can be difficult to get approved when compared to claimants who have much clearer and more noticeable physical or mental impairments. About 1 in 10 Americans live with a medical condition that may be considered a hidden disability. Among those who have chronic medical conditions, about 96% live with a hidden or invisible condition.
Common factors with hidden disabilities
There are number of features common with hidden disabilities. These include:
- It is a disability others cannot see.
- The disability is permanent from a medical standpoint, forcing individual to deal with it on a daily basis.
- The disability causes physical or emotional pain for the individual.
- No visible supports or medical aids are used by the individual to indicate the presence of the disability.
- The victim may manage the disability through medication or behavior.
What are some types of hidden disabilities?
Hidden disabilities include various conditions that do not always manifest visual symptoms, such as:
- Chronic fatigue syndrome
- Traumatic brain injuries
- Learning disabilities
- Diabetes
- Autoimmune disorders such as lupus
- Rheumatoid arthritis
- Fibromyalgia
- Cystic fibrosis
- HIV/AIDS
- Epilepsy
- Psychiatric conditions (bipolar disorder, major depression, schizophrenia)
- Post-Traumatic Stress Syndrome (PTSD)
- Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) or Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)
What are the effects of hidden disabilities?
Every sufferer of these conditions manifests symptoms in a different way. For example, an individual suffering long-term diabetes may have developed additional conditions such as loss of eyesight, diabetic neuropathy, or other serious ailments that inhibit the person from the ability to maintain employment on a continual basis. Another person suffering from lupus may experience debilitating symptoms on a periodic basis. The individual may feel healthy for a month and function relatively normally, but when these extremely debilitating symptoms manifest, he or she may experience them for weeks or months at a time.
Another example is an individual suffering a debilitating mental condition who may feel and act normal in familiar environments, such as in his or her home. However, outside of normal “comfort zones,” the individual may experience paranoia or severe anxiety.
Can I get benefits for a hidden disability?
Fortunately, the Social Security Administration (SSA) understands that invisible disabilities are a real issue with some people claiming disability benefits. Claims examiners at the agency are aware of some of the conditions sufferers of hidden disabilities can experience on a sporadic basis. Therefore, anyone suffering from one of these hidden conditions should not be hesitant to file for SSDI benefits.
Making a case for disability benefits
If you are diagnosed with an “invisible” disease, there are a few things you can do to help your claim:
- Seek medical advice and treatment. Make sure to see a doctor and follow his or her advice to the letter. Attend regular check-ups, and report any new or worsening symptoms as they occur. If you start to feel better, make sure the office knows that, too. It could help establish a history of symptoms that vary over time.
- Keep an updated list of your medications. Make sure to keep your own records of what medicines you are prescribed, how often you took them, and what effects they had. Include on your list any over-the-counter drugs you may have taken as well. (Make sure it is okay to use OTC drugs, especially if you are on prescription meds.) This helps you establish a history of attempting treatments to ease your symptoms and/or cure your condition, if a cure is possible.
- Document all meetings with your employer. You have the right to keep your medical history private, but talking to your employer or the HR department about the effects your condition has on your ability to work may not be a bad idea. If you miss work, make sure to obtain a note from your doctor for your employer and your own records.
- Seek competent counsel to help you apply. A large number of applicants are denied every year because of mistakes on their applications, or because their records were not up to date. Working with an experienced Maryland Social Security Disability lawyer could help you collect your benefits more easily and more quickly than if you try to do it alone.
Our Maryland Social Security Disability attorneys at Plaxen Adler Muncy, P.A., understand the wide range of issues individuals with hidden disabilities may face. We also understand the potential obstacles to securing the disability benefits you deserve and are prepared to help you obtain these benefits. To set up a free case evaluation, give us a call today at 410.567.0243, or send us a message through our contact form.
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David Muncy is a partner at Plaxen Adler Muncy. He focuses on personal injury, workers’ compensation, and Social Security Disability cases. For more information, please visit his bio.