Quadriplegia can result from a spinal cord injury or progressive disease, and it can take away your ability to work, earn a living, and carry out daily living activities. If you or someone you love can no longer work due to symptoms, a Social Security disability lawyer can help you get disability benefits for quadriplegia.
Disability Advantage Group is a Social Security disability law firm that connects clients with the benefits they deserve. Roughly two-thirds of Social Security disability applicants get denied on the first try, according to the Social Security Administration (SSA). Many obstacles stand between you and disability benefits, and our job is to clear them from your path.
For a free consultation, call us at 865-566-0800.
How Quadriplegia Happens
Quadriplegia, also known as tetraplegia, refers to paralysis affecting all four quadrants of the body. A person with quadriplegia has no movement or severely limited movement in their arms, legs, torso, and pelvis. Any job requiring movement or physical ability is impossible with quadriplegia, and the condition creates such an impact on functional capacity that even a desk job is often difficult or impossible.
Most cases of quadriplegia happen because of spinal cord injuries, though it can result from a progressive disease, such as Parkinson’s or muscular dystrophy. No matter the cause, if it prevents you from working and earning a living, you deserve benefits.
Complete vs. Incomplete Quadriplegia
Quadriplegia can be complete or incomplete.
Complete quadriplegia refers to total paralysis of all affected body areas. With incomplete quadriplegia, you may retain movement in certain areas, such as the fingers or toes, but it is highly limited and does not confer any significant functional capacity compared to complete quadriplegia.
If you cannot work due to quadriplegia, you are eligible for disability whether your condition is officially classified as complete or incomplete. A lawyer from Disability Advantage Group can help you apply for and receive benefits. To begin the process with a free consultation, call us today at 865-566-0800.
The Social Security Disability Listing for Quadriplegia
You can get approved for Social Security disability by proving that you meet the eligibility requirements as outlined in the “Blue Book” listing for your condition. The Blue Book is a long list of conditions deemed by the SSA as eligible for benefits. Each Blue Book listing contains the diagnostic and medical criteria required to get approved.
The Blue Book does not have a specific listing for quadriplegia. But just about every possible underlying cause of quadriplegia — spinal cord injury, muscular dystrophy, cerebral palsy, and so forth — is listed in the Blue Book. Disability Advantage Group will help you gather supporting documentation to make it clear you meet the Blue Book requirements.
The RFC Exam
If you do not meet the eligibility requirements of the Blue Book listing for your underlying condition, Disability Advantage Group can still help you qualify for benefits. For applicants who do not qualify via Blue Book criteria, an alternative route to approval is the residual functional capacity, or RFC, exam. This test shows the SSA that your condition impacts your ability to work and carry out daily living activities the same as a listed condition would.
The best thing about the RFC exam is that you can have it done by your own doctor, who then sends the results to the SSA. Our attorneys oversee the process and make sure your case is convincing before submitting it for review. If we feel you need additional evidence or supporting documentation to bolster your approval chances, we can help you get it.
To find out more, and to receive a free case evaluation, call Disability Advantage Group today at 865-566-0800.
The Blue Book Criteria for Quadriplegia
Most disability applicants with quadriplegia apply based on Blue Book listing 11.08, covering disorders of the spine. We can review this listing with you, reconciling it with your own medical evidence and making sure you meet the eligibility criteria. Our attorneys will make it clear that you are eligible for benefits.
If your quadriplegia did not result from a spinal cord injury, we will go over the Blue Book listing for the underlying medical condition causing your paralysis. Our team will either gather the evidence needed to prove you meet the listing’s eligibility criteria or, if needed, guide you through the RFC process.
Either way, our job is to connect you with the benefits you deserve. To speak with a member of our team today, call 865-566-0800.
Meeting the Non-Medical Requirements for Social Security Disability
Social Security disability has both medical and non-medical requirements. The medical requirements are everything described above — meeting the Blue Book criteria or undergoing an RFC exam to prove your functional limitations. The non-medical requirements involve not your disability itself but your income, assets, and work history.
The SSA has two disability programs, Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) and Supplemental Security Income (SSI). The medical requirements for the two programs are the same. But because one program (SSDI) operates like insurance and the other (SSI) is a means-tested program for the needy, they have vastly different non-medical requirements.
Our attorneys can determine if you qualify for SSDI, SSI, or both and can help you put together the documents needed to prove your eligibility.
Get Your Free Social Security Disability Consultation Today — Call Disability Advantage Group at 865-566-0800
The Social Security disability lawyers at Disability Advantage Group want to help you or your loved one get approved for benefits for quadriplegia. We are eager to get started on your disability claim right away. To speak with a member of our team for a free consultation, call our office at 865-566-0800.