To meet the Social Security Administration’s (SSA) definition of disability, you must be unable to engage in substantial gainful activity (SGA) because of your migraines and submit enough evidence that proves it. Obtaining Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) benefits for migraines may not be as straightforward as obtaining them for other conditions, and our lawyers assist claimants in securing the benefits they need.
Like other conditions not explicitly designated as SSDI-eligible, migraines may still qualify you for payments if they stop you from working for at least a year. We need medical records confirming your diagnosis, treatments, hospital admissions, and history of dealing with migraines. We also need evidence of how migraines affect you on a day-to-day basis, so consider keeping a daily log. If the SSA denies your SSDI application, we can help you appeal it.
Call (479) 316-0438 for a confidential and free case assessment from our Arkansas disability lawyers.
Can You Get SSDI for Chronic Migraines in Arkansas?
If your migraines meet the SSA’s definition of disability, you may indeed qualify for Social Security Disability Insurance benefits in Arkansas. Chronic migraines can be just as disabling as any illness or physical injury, and our lawyers can help you seek wage replacement benefits from the SSA.
Although the Social Security Administration’s Listing of Impairments does not include migraines among automatically approved conditions, that doesn’t mean you cannot get SSDI. It does mean, however, that we may need more compelling evidence to get the claim examiner to approve your claim and agree that you cannot participate in (SGA) because of your persistent and intense migraines.
Being unable to engage in SGA means you cannot financially support yourself and work because of a medical condition. Chronic migraines are very debilitating for many people, and those individuals should see if they can get SSDI payments to supplement their income.
What Medical Records Are Needed to Obtain SSDI for Migraines?
Migraines are not specifically listed in the SSA’s “Blue Book,” so we often need to take extra steps to prove that the claimant’s migraines are chronic, severe, and have prevented them from working for at least a year. We require comprehensive medical records to proceed, which we can organize for your case.
Diagnosis Records
We first need records of a formal diagnosis for chronic migraines. Claimants may consult with neurologists to undergo the necessary exams and discuss their symptoms. The neurologist may also rule out other conditions that could contribute to headaches, such as tumors. Your physician will see if you meet the criteria for a chronic migraine diagnosis, such as experiencing migraines on at least 15 days a month for at least three months.
Prescription Medications
Other medical records show the SSA which medications physicians have prescribed to you to address some of the symptoms from chronic migraines, as well as doctors’ notes on the efficacy of those medications in treating your symptoms and how long you have been taking them.
Physician Statements
Our Arkansas disability lawyers can also obtain statements from your physicians for the SSA, so your claim examiner receives further confirmation of the severity of your migraines, their chronic nature, and the daily symptoms you experience.
What Helps You Get SSDI for Migraines in Arkansas?
To convince the SSA that you deserve SSDI benefits for migraines in Arkansas, we need more evidence. You can help strengthen your case by keeping a journal as best you can that logs your migraine symptoms.
Logs kept over weeks or months can show the SSA the severity of chronic migraines and the SGA-preventing symptoms you experience. Constant, intense throbbing that lasts for hours or days, extreme sensitivity to light that makes you unable to open your eyes for extended periods, persistent nausea and vomiting, and other symptoms like seizures illustrate just how much migraines affect your life and why you cannot maintain meaningful employment because of them.
Statements from individuals with first-hand observations of you experiencing chronic migraines and have witnessed your intense symptoms over extended periods can also solidify your SSDI claim and help you get benefits in Arkansas.
How Much SSDI Can You Get for Migraines in Arkansas?
After approving SSDI claims, the SSA doesn’t distinguish between injury severity. The same definition of disability applies to all claimants, and only their own income history affects the amount they receive from SSDI payments.
SSDI claimants with migraines don’t receive smaller payments than SSDI claimants with terminal illnesses or physical disabilities. To determine your payment amount, we need to calculate your average indexed monthly earnings. The SSA uses a rather complicated formula to calculate a claimant’s primary insurance amount, which is your base monthly benefit before any cost-of-living adjustments. We can use the same formula as the SSA to see if their calculations are accurate and fair.
What if the SSA Doesn’t Give You SSDI for Migraines in Arkansas?
The SSA denying your SSDI claim for migraines is not necessarily the end of your case. We can appeal the denial by requesting reconsideration within 60 days of the rejection.
The SSA may reconsider your claim and change its decision upon getting more complete medical records. If you did not previously submit statements from physicians confirming how debilitating migraines are for you, we may provide this type of evidence during SSA claim reconsideration.
Sometimes, the SSA denies claims, not because the claimant is ineligible, but because the original application had a clerical error or other mistake. Avoid these types of denials as best as possible by having our attorneys handle your application and ensuring all information is accurate before submitting it to the SSA.
You have multiple opportunities to appeal the SSA’s decision, so don’t give up on getting SSDI.
Call Us About Getting SSDI in Arkansas
Call (479) 316-0438 to get help with your case from our Bentonville, AR disability lawyers.