Brunswick
Heart Disease Disability Lawyer

On This Page

1. How We Help You Through the SSD Process
2. Disability Benefits for Applicants With Heart Disease
3. Understanding the SSD Appeals Process in Brunswick
4. When Should You Apply for Disability Benefits?
5. Start Your Brunswick, OH Disability Claim With Confidence

REVIEWED BY

C. William Kenny

December 12, 2025

Board certified by National Board of Trial Advocacy

Heart disease can change the way you work, live, and plan for the future—and when your symptoms make steady employment impossible, you need a legal team that knows how to make the disability process easier. A Brunswick heart disease disability lawyer at Berger and Green can help you move forward with a clear plan, steady guidance, and the support of a firm that has represented thousands of clients over the past 40 years.

As Brunswick, OH Social Security Disability lawyers, we understand the challenges people face when cardiac symptoms, hospital visits, and fatigue make daily life unpredictable. We step in to guide your application or appeal so you can focus on your health while we manage the process. Call us now to get started on your disability claim.

How We Help You Through the SSD Process

Berger and Green takes on the complicated parts of the Social Security Disability system so you can focus on your health. Our lawyers help by:

• Completing and filing your SSD application so everything is submitted accurately and on time.
• Filing appeals and managing deadlines if the SSA denies your initial claim.
• Explaining what to expect at each stage so the process feels more manageable.
• Represent you at your hearing before an Administrative Law Judge.

With more than 40 years of experience and tens of thousands of clients served, our team works to keep your claim on track and guide you all the way through the process.

Disability Benefits for Applicants With Heart Disease

When heart disease makes full-time work unsafe or unsustainable, the Social Security Administration offers two disability programs that may provide financial support. Each program serves a different need, but both require you to show that your condition prevents you from maintaining regular employment.

Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI)

SSDI is based on your work history. You earn work credits through years of employment, and most people need around 20 credits—typically the equivalent of five years of recent work—to qualify. If your heart disease keeps you from working, SSDI may provide monthly benefits that reflect the contributions you’ve made to the Social Security system.

Older workers may need more credits, and younger workers may qualify with fewer.

Supplemental Security Income (SSI)

SSI is a needs-based program for people with very limited income and resources. Even though it is not tied to work credits, the SSA uses the same medical disability rules as it does for SSDI. That means your heart condition must limit you enough that you cannot sustain full-time work.

Eligibility Depends on Your Limitations

Different heart conditions affect everyone differently, and the SSA focuses on how your symptoms limit what you can realistically do in a work setting.

Instead of relying only on your diagnosis, the SSA reviews how issues like shortness of breath, fatigue, chest pain, or irregular heart rhythms interfere with the physical and mental tasks required in most jobs. They look at whether you can stay on task, maintain a steady pace, tolerate exertion, or reliably attend work without frequent interruptions from your condition.

Medical evidence, such as results from stress tests, EKGs, or echocardiograms, helps the SSA understand the severity of your heart disease, but they also want to see how those findings translate into day-to-day functioning. Even if you don’t meet every requirement in the SSA’s Blue Book listings, you may still qualify for benefits if your limitations make full-time work inconsistent, unsafe, or unsustainable.

Understanding the SSD Appeals Process in Brunswick

Many heart disease disability claims are not approved at the initial stage, so the appeals process becomes an important part of securing benefits. Each level gives you another opportunity to show how your condition limits your ability to work, and Berger and Green helps you manage these steps when we take your case.

Reconsideration

If the SSA denies your initial application, the first appeal is called reconsideration. A different reviewer examines your file and any updates you provide. Although many reconsiderations are also denied, this step is necessary to move your case forward.

Hearing Before a Judge

If reconsideration isn’t successful, you can request a hearing before an Administrative Law Judge (ALJ). Hearings can be held by phone, video, or in person, depending on your circumstances. Your lawyer represents you throughout the hearing and presents your case to the judge.

Many people receive approvals at this stage because it gives them a chance to explain how their condition affects daily life.

Review of the Hearing Decision

If the ALJ denies your claim, you can ask the Social Security Appeals Council to review the decision. The Appeals Council looks at whether the judge handled your case correctly and decides whether the claim should be sent back or moved forward.

Federal District Court Review

If the Appeals Council does not grant relief, you may take the case to federal district court for another level of review. While fewer cases reach this stage, it is a final option for continuing your disability claim.

At each step, deadlines and protocol matter. Our team helps keep your appeal moving forward so you don’t have to manage the complexities of the process on your own.

When Should You Apply for Disability Benefits?

Many people wait too long to start the disability process because they aren’t sure when they qualify or worry their condition isn’t “serious enough yet.” With heart disease, it’s often best to apply as soon as your symptoms begin interfering with your ability to maintain full-time work. The sooner you begin, the sooner the SSA can start reviewing your claim.

There are also strict deadlines to consider. If you apply and the SSA denies your claim, you must file your appeal within 60 days of receiving the denial. Missing that deadline usually means starting over, which can delay benefits significantly. A lawyer can help you keep your case on track and ensure your appeal moves forward correctly.

Start Your Brunswick, OH Disability Claim With Confidence

Heart disease can put every part of your life under strain, but getting the benefits you need shouldn’t add to the pressure. A Brunswick heart disease disability lawyer at Berger and Green can help you understand your options and move your claim forward with clarity and support. Contact us today to discuss your case and learn how we can assist you through the Social Security Disability process.