Can I Get Disability Benefits After a Stroke?

Individuals who suffer a stroke often have a long recovery period. During that period, the individual may be unable to work or may need significant care. In addition, the damage can be permanent. In any of these situations, it may be possible for the individual to obtain disability benefits. These benefits can help the individual to have the funds necessary for their care.

How to Obtain Benefits

To obtain disability benefits after suffering a stroke, the individual or someone working on his behalf, must apply for the benefits through the Social Security Administration. The process requires that the applicant work through a five step process called the Sequential Evaluation Process. This process proves that the condition is severe enough to warrant disability benefits.

Part of that process requires proving that the individual’s condition is severe enough that it meets or exceeds the Social Security Administration’s Listing of Impairments requirements. For those with a stroke, found in section 11.04 include meeting two sets of requirements, Part A or Part B.

To qualify under Part A, individuals need to have a stroke with sensory or motor aphasia. This must result in the individual have difficulty with speech and communication that lasts for at least three months or longer. The aphasia must be significant enough that the communication abilities of the individual with other people are ineffective.

To qualify under Part B, individuals need to have a stroke that results in at least three months of significant disorganization of the motor function found within at least two extremities. This will then restrict the individual by causing a problem in one of the following ways:

• Upper extremity limitations that result in gross movement loss
• Upper extremity limitations that result in dexterous movement loss
• Lower extremity limitations resulting in difficulty of gait, or the manner in which the individual walks
• Lower extremity function that results in difficulty of station or the way in which the individual is able to stand, or the inability to maintain proper posture to walk or move.

In order for the individual to qualify for disability benefits from a stroke, individuals must suffer from at least two of the extremity limitations listed above.

Hire an Attorney

The best route to ensure that the individual’s claim for disability benefits is effective is to work through an attorney. The attorney can help with completing the application and ensuring that any problems or rejections are handled properly as well.