Residents of Missouri, as well as those across the entire United States, who suffer from mental conditions, are frequently unable to find suitable employment. However, many are entitled to receive Social Security Disability Benefits. The Social Security Administration or SSA lists the conditions for which those benefits may be awarded, and victims who wish to receive those benefits need to establish the disabilities medically. Unlike physical disabilities, mental conditions have some social stigma attached to them, so proving a person’s mental illness may be a difficult task in some situations.
The mental conditions recognized by the SSA include schizophrenia, autism, depression and other anxiety-related disorders. While applying for benefits, the patients or their family members will need to submit the relevant medical documents to the concerned authorities.
While these documents might be suitable proof, a separate test may still be required to establish whether the condition is legitimate if the submitted medical documents do not prove that the symptoms required to receive the benefits actually exist. It is also important to prove the seriousness of the patient’s condition and to establish a timeline for how long the patient will remain impaired and, thus, will not be able to earn a living.
It may also be difficult for the victim to clearly express or describe the symptoms of a particular disability. Some conditions may last for a short period of time; however, during the assessment, the particular mental illness may not be established. Thus, the SSA has a stringent verification process to ensure that such issues do not come up.
Decisions on awarding the benefits to a recipient are only made after scrutinizing the physician’s records, feedback from family and friends, track record of daily activities and the outcome of a mental condition test. A psychiatric evaluation will also be conducted and the report will be sent to the Disability Determination Services agency.
The process of claiming disability benefits for mental illnesses may be complex, therefore, seeking legal guidance might be useful for the victim and the victim’s family. Our law firm is experienced at handling cases related to disability benefits and we explain the rights and government programs related to such benefits to our clients. We also provide help to correct documentation of claim papers and we also provide assistance to prevent the claims from being rejected.
