Are you among the thousands of Americans who are suffering because of depression? If your depression is severe enough to restrict you from accomplishing your everyday tasks, then you can apply for disability benefits. Depression, also known as major depressive disorder, has several levels of severity.
You might have to take expensive antidepressants with undesirable side effects, or you might be unresponsive to any treatment and not able to function. It becomes unbearable when you have to suffer from a financial setback in addition to depression.
Some disability claims might get denied by the Social Security Administration (SSA). However, you can file an appeal with the help of a Social Security Disability lawyer. A lawyer can also help you determine whether you are likely to receive benefits or not. If you are feeling depressed and would like to explore your disability benefits, you can visit a website and contact a disability attorney.
Eligibility Requirements for Disability Benefits for Depression?
Depression is a severe mental illness that causes people to experience sadness and hopelessness. This condition impacts many different age groups of people, from 15 to 44.3. It affects up to 16.1 million of American adults, or about 6.7% of Americans over 18 years old. However, it can affect anyone at any age.
Getting disability benefits for depression can be a lengthy and complicated process. In addition, there are a few eligibility requirements that you must meet to be considered for benefits. As a result, you may not know if you qualify or how to proceed after the first step. You may also struggle to complete an application for disability benefits.
The Social Security Administration sets specific criteria to determine whether an individual is eligible for benefits or not. Some of the people suffering from depression might also suffer from headaches, chronic pain, neurological diseases such as epilepsy, Alzheimer’s disease, and other disorders.
Criteria set by SSA are;
- Your depression is preventing you from working.
- The condition has lasted for a minimum of one year.
- The condition is life-threatening.
Suppose you meet the criteria set by the Social Security Administration. In that case, you can apply, but you have to keep in mind that the whole process of applying is very complicated and confusing. The administration will review the entire application for:
- A precise diagnosis of your depression
- Medical treatments
- Medications, if any, and their side effects
- Other disabilities as well as mental health conditions
- Recovery time
You must be visiting a doctor regularly and remain on par with the prescribed plan for treatment. If you fail to do this, you will likely get rejected for disability benefits. In addition to these requirements, the administration might check to see whether you have contributed part of your income to the Social Security system within the last five years.
With so many people applying for SSD benefits, the SSA is already flooded with many claims. This is the main reason why the applications get denied. However, by hiring a reputed lawyer, you can make the whole process convenient.
How can an experienced lawyer help you?
If it is apparent that you qualify for disability benefits for depression, a legal professional will create the most robust case for your case or appeal. If your initial claim was denied, they can help you by carefully analyzing the reason for denial.
A lawyer can also gather the requisite medical evidence for your disability by referring you to a good psychiatrist or other mental health specialists. In short, a reputed lawyer will develop your case for all significant benefits depending on a mix of depression and other disabilities that contribute to its severity and duration.
If you need assistance to apply for disability benefits, you must contact an experienced disability lawyer. They can provide a free consultation along with a free case evaluation, so you can better understand your legal rights.