Pittsburgh Aplastic Anemias Disability Lawyer

Get Disability Benefits With Aplastic Anemias

If you suffer from aplastic anemia, you might not be able to work and earn a living. This is especially true if you required a bone marrow or stem cell transplant. One option to help you make ends meet may be to file a claim for disability benefits. You might be able to receive monthly direct deposits from Supplemental Security Income (SSI) or Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI).

The team from Berger and Green have experience getting Social Security Disability for aplastic anemias in Pittsburgh, PA. We can help you fight for the benefits you need and deserve. If the Social Security Administration (SSA) denied your application, we will review your case and help you navigate the appeals process.

Call us today at 412-661-1400 to talk with a member of our team about your disability claim.

Qualifying for Disability Benefits Based on Aplastic Anemia

The SSA publishes a book, called the Blue Book, of impairment listings that may qualify for benefits. The impairment listing that includes the criteria for aplastic anemia is in Section 7.00.

In general, most people who qualify for benefits based on aplastic anemia do so because they underwent a bone marrow or stem cell transplant. If you went through one of these procedures, you should receive:

• Approval for 12 months of disability beginning on the date of your transplant; and
• An evaluation of your condition after 12 months; and
• Approval for continuing benefits if you meet other criteria in the Blue Book a year after transplant.

There are also other ways you may get approved for benefits based on a Blue Book entry, based on:

• Complications of your condition if you have not yet had a transplant; or
• Residual effects of your condition that persist for a year or more after your transplant.

We recommend discussing your qualifications with your doctor before you apply for disability benefits. Your medical records are crucial to getting the benefits you need, and it is your doctor who orders the laboratory tests and clinical findings that will provide the medical evidence to prove your claim.

Getting Disability Benefits If You Do Not Meet an Impairment Listing

You might be able to get disability benefits even if you do not meet a Blue Book listing. If you aplastic anemia keeps you from working, we can use your Residual Functional Capacity (RFC) to establish that you should qualify as disabled. Your RFC is an evaluation of your ability to complete routine tasks often associated with work.

Your RFC evaluation will consider:

• The type of tasks you are capable of; and
• How often you can do these tasks; and
• How long you can do these tasks.

If you cannot work your current job, any job you previously held, or another job you might be able to get hired to do, you will likely receive approval for benefits.

There are three ways the SSA might evaluate you to get your RFC. Someone from the Office of Disability Determination Services might evaluate your abilities based on your medical records and application materials, or your doctor could conduct the evaluation based on their knowledge of your case. Occasionally, the SSA will pay for a consultative medical exam with a third-party doctor to establish an RFC.

Understanding a Technical Denial of Your Claim

Before anyone from the Office of Disability Determination Services requests your medical evidence or looks into your medical qualifications, staff from your local Social Security field office will ensure you meet all the technical qualifications for the SSI or SSDI program.

If you do not meet these requirements, the SSA will issue a technical denial. This makes it very important to do everything you can to ensure you meet all of the technical qualifications for each program before you submit your application.

Some of the most common reasons we see for technical denials include:

• Not answering every question on the application; or
• A name or birthday that does not match your Social Security Number; or
• Not enough work credits to meet the requirements for SSDI; or
• Income or assets that do not meet the requirements for SSI.

We can help you file your application and avoid some of these problems. If you receive a technical denial, we can help you navigate the appeals process and fight for the benefits you deserve. Call us today for a free claim review.

Appealing a Disability Denial Based on Aplastic Anemia

Many people who apply for disability benefits receive a denial of their initial claim. If you belong to this group, you can request an appeals hearing and ask an Administrative Law Judge to overturn your denial. You have 60 days from the date on your letter to request this hearing, so it is important not to delay.

If you call us and let us review your claim, we might be able to handle the entire appeals process for you. We will:

• Explain why you received a denial and put a plan in place to prove you qualify; and
• Request your appeals hearing for you; and
• Help you understand what to expect throughout the process; and
• Analyze your application and medical evidence to build a strong argument for benefits; and
• Represent your case to the Administrative Law Judge and request benefits on your behalf; and
• Fight to help you get the back benefits you deserve.

In many cases, we can get benefits for our well-qualified clients during this hearing. If we cannot get you approved for some reason, we will discuss the other steps we can pursue to help you get monthly disability cash benefits.

Talk to a Pittsburgh Lawyer About Getting Disability for Your Aplastic Anemia.

The disability team from Berger and Green will review your claim for free, or we can help you navigate the appeals process if the SSA already denied your initial claim. If someone else’s negligence caused any of your conditoins, we might be able to help you file a personal injury lawsuit to get additional compensation.

Call our Pittsburgh office today at 412-661-1400 for your complimentary consultation.