ALS Social Security Disability Attorneys

Attorneys Tips for Getting Social Security Disability Faster for
ALS (Lou Gehrig’s Disease / Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis)

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis – also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease or “ALS” – is a debilitating motor neuron disease. It interferes with the brain’s ability to communicate with the muscles – compromising motor function and gradually leading to paralysis over time.

ALS usually occurs in individuals who are over age 50. And while 10% of cases are thought to be genetic, the other 90% of the time, there is no known cause. If you have been diagnosed with this extremely challenging condition, we understand that concerns about supporting yourself and your family are likely foremost on your mind.

Fortunately, individuals suffering from Lou Gehrig’s disease should be able to automatically be approved for Social Security Disability benefits (and Medicare) as soon as you they diagnosed with ALS. And, ALS sufferers are also eligible for fast track approval through the Social Security Administration – if they go through the right process.

In this article our experienced Social Security Disability attorneys offer some helpful tips, aimed at assisting you collect your SSDI benefits for ALS as soon as possible.

Qualifying for Social Security Disability Benefits for ALS

If you have been diagnosed with Lou Gehrig’s Disease, and are over the age of 18, you should “automatically” qualify for Social Security Disability benefits. ALS is one of the conditions on the SSA’s “Listing of Impairments,” that automatically makes the applicant eligible for disability benefits.

However, there are still specific criteria which must be met, to “prove” to the Social Security Administration (SSA) that you do have Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS). And this can be burdensome for someone who is already dealing with loss of motor skills. If you are unable to this on your own, our experienced and caring Social Security Disability attorneys are happy to help you.

To get approved for Social Security Disability for diagnosis of ALS, your medical records must include a specific ALS diagnosis. This can be trickier than for other conditions because there is no one conclusive test (like an Xray or blood test) that definitively establishes the presence of ALS.

The ALS listing provides that a diagnosis of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) must be made by providing records or “evidence” that follows the generally “accepted practices and clinical procedures used to diagnose ALS” and for your records to provide evidence of this.

TIP #1: Providing records with a diagnosis of ALS from a neurologist, not just a general practitioner or family doctor, should be more likely to get you approved for Social Security Disability benefits.

TIP #2: The Social Security Administration (SSA) will want to see medical documentation that includes:

• a history of your symptoms of ALS
• neurological findings that are consistent with an ALS diagnosis
• electrophysical and neuroimaging tests that rule out other conditions
• electromyography or nerve conduction studies (helpful but not required).

Fast Track Social Security Disability Benefits Approval for ALS

The SSA’s Compassionate Allowances Program “fast-tracks” approval for certain conditions, including Lou Gehrig’s Disease. This means that your case will typically be decided within a few weeks – rather than several months like other cases.

However, if you are applying for SSDI benefits, you are not allowed to collect benefits until five months after the onset of your disability. (With SSI, there is no waiting period.)

TIP #3: Make sure your doctor is very clear in their documentation about the date date of onset (not just the diagnosis date) of your ALS – even if you weren’t diagnosed yet at the time.

TIP #4: If you are approved for Social Security Disability Benefits based on your diagnosis of ALS, you are eligible for automatic enrollment into Medicare the first month you receive Social Security Disability Insurance – and you are not subject to a 2 year waiting period like other conditions in people under 25 years old.

ALS Social Security Disability Attorneys

If you or a loved one is suffering from a debilitating diagnosis of ALS, out Social Security Disability Attorneys are here to help you get the maximum Social Security Disability benefits for which you qualify, as quickly as possible. If you have any difficulties, or find it too taxing, to get through the application process, feel free to give us a call.

The Law Office of Cantrell Green is a group of highly qualified and experienced disability attorneys who have obtained millions of dollars in Social Security Disability benefits for thousands of clients in Long Beach, Orange County and the greater Los Angeles. Our lawyers care about every client, and fight tirelessly to obtain the benefits you deserve.

ALS Social Security Disability Attorney Consultation: 800-964-8047