Menu
Call Toll-Free 24 Hours:

What are the Top Causes of Disability Claims?

Legally Reviewed and Edited by: Terry Cochran

People may submit disability claims for many reasons, including illness and work accidents. However, some illnesses and careers are more likely to result in long-term disability than others. Although you cannot predict the future, if you have a family history of the common causes of disability or work in a high-risk job like construction, you may want to invest in disability insurance.

If you or a loved one cannot work following an illness or accident, consult the team at Cochran, Kroll & Associates, P.C. to lessen the likelihood of denial. Whether your disability resulted from one of these top causes or is from an unusual illness, you will need to apply for disability benefits if it affects your ability to work.

Top Causes of Long-Term Disability Claims

You can receive disability benefits for both long- and short-term disabilities. To count as a long-term disability, it must affect your ability to work for at least 12 months. This could mean that it affects your ability to stand, sit, remember, or lift.

Since many long-term disability benefits applications get denied, work with a disability lawyer at our law firm to help you receive your benefits faster, so you can focus on healing.

Cancer and Other Critical Illnesses

A critical illness like cancer can cause a long-term disability. Cancer is one of the fastest-growing causes of death in the U.S., topped only by heart disease. Chemotherapy is draining, and many cancer patients cannot work while undergoing treatment. A course of chemotherapy lasts around three months, and depending on the type and severity of the cancer, a patient could require several courses.

The effects of chemotherapy, including immune-suppression, exhaustion, and nausea, could all affect your ability to work.

Many cancer patients are eligible for short-term disability, but you may need to work with a lawyer to prove to the Social Security Administration and your insurance company that your illness will affect you long term.

Other critical and progressive illnesses, like multiple sclerosis or nervous system disorders like Parkinson’s Disease, can also affect your ability to work long-term. Many of these are degenerative illnesses and slowly impede your muscle control, speech, and coordination.

Heart Disease

Every 36 seconds, someone in the United States dies from heart disease. Many others suffer a heart attack or other cardiovascular problems that affect their ability to work. Although proving that your heart attack qualifies you for short-term disability is relatively easy, you’ll need extensive medical records and testimony from your doctors to show that you are eligible for long-term benefits.

Disability Claims

Back Problems and Joint Disorders

Musculoskeletal issues affect your joints, making it challenging to hold a pencil or type. Common joint disorders that result in long-term disability claims include arthritis and chronic back pain from slipped discs.

Because these disorders limit movement, you may be unable to work full time, or at all. Although many older Americans develop arthritis, young people can also experience it. Some back problems come from chronic illness, while others result from an injury. Lifting heavy boxes, twisting your back, or falling on your shoulder can all result in long-term back injury.

Other Causes

Mental illness can sometimes result in the inability to work. Although recognition of mental health issues is growing, many insurance companies limit the time you can receive long-term benefits.

Paralysis is another significant cause of disability claims but is easier to prove than in some other cases. People who have paralysis often encounter extensive medical bills and should file a spinal cord injury claim to help cover their costs.

Contact a Disability Lawyer Today

If you or a loved one cannot work because of an illness or injury, contact the experienced team of disability lawyers at Cochran, Kroll & Associates, P.C. today. Call us at 866-MICH-LAW to schedule your free consultation and get started on your journey to receiving the benefits you deserve.

Disclaimer : The information provided is general and not for legal advice. The blogs are not intended to provide legal counsel and no attorney-client relationship is created nor intended.

Martha is a writer and musician who is passionate about politics and the law. She studied politics in her Bachelor's Degree and continues to be involved in legal matters, especially immigration. She now lives in Germany and is writing her first book and learning German.

CALL TOLL-FREE | 24 HOURS

RESULTS-DRIVEN TRACK RECORD

Testimonial Image

FREE CONSULTATION NO FEES UNTIL WE WIN

There is no obligation for a case evaluation & no fee is charged unless a recovery is made.
  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Your privacy is important to us. Cochran, Kroll & Associates, P.C. does not share, sell, rent, or trade personally identifiable or confidential information with third parties for any purpose.
Call Now Button