Warmer weather and shifting climate patterns are turning into a boon for disease-carrying ticks. Reports indicate that tick outbreaks are surging, spreading dangerous diseases and illnesses that can cause life-long medical complications. Lyme disease is one such illness.
People with Lyme disease can face painful symptoms and constant fatigue, preventing them from enjoying life in the same ways they did before the illness. It can also prevent them from working in their pre-illness capacity. Is Lyme disease a disability that qualifies for disability benefits?
The legal team at Ryan Bisher Ryan & Simons can explain whether your diagnosis can qualify you for Social Security disability benefits, and how a Lyme disease disability lawyer can help you.
Does the SSA Recognize Lyme Disease as a Disability?
There is some confusion regarding whether the Social Security Administration recognizes Lyme disease as a qualifying disability. Listings of qualifying disabilities can be found in the Social Security Administration’s Blue Book. This publication does not explicitly list Lyme disease as a standalone or qualifying disabling condition.
Although it is not listed as a standalone condition, Lyme disease may still qualify you for SSD benefits. You must first prove that your symptoms are debilitating enough that they prevent you from working. The key is collecting medical evidence that shows the condition significantly limits your ability to work and prevents you from holding a job for at least one year.
To qualify, you must meet Blue Book guidelines for another listed condition. For example, if your symptoms cause significant mobility and joint issues, you may medically qualify for disability benefits as listed under musculoskeletal disorders in the Blue Book. If your symptoms don’t match another condition precisely, the SSA may look at your Residual Functional Capacity (RFC). Your RFC is a measure of what you can still do at work on a regular day despite your symptoms.
What is Lyme Disease?
Lyme disease is an illness caused by the Borrelia bacteria. This bacterium is most commonly spread through bites from the blacklegged tick, which are found in the Northeast, Mid-Atlantic, and upper Midwest regions of the United States. These ticks are also found in Oklahoma, particularly the eastern part of the state.
The symptoms of Lyme disease typically manifest within three to 30 days of an infected tick bite. The most common initial sign of the illness is a localized rash that gradually spreads from the bite site. It may feel warm, but it is generally not itchy or painful for most people, which means the illness’s initial signs can be easy to dismiss or ignore. Other symptoms can include the following:
- Fever
- Headache
- Fatigue
- Joint stiffness
- Muscle aches
- Swollen lymph nodes
What Happens When I Get Lyme Disease?
When an individual gets Lyme disease, bacteria from the tick are transferred to the patient. As the bacteria multiply, the infection spreads, triggering an immune response.
Without immediate treatment, symptoms of Lyme disease progress and worsen over time. The bacteria multiply to the point where symptoms such as flu-like symptoms, a rash, and fatigue begin to manifest. During the second stage of infection, symptoms may worsen and include rashes on other areas of the body, neck pain or stiffness, muscle weakness, pain, and changes in immune system activity that can manifest as irregular heartbeats or changes in vision. The infection can spread to the joints, heart, and nervous system, causing chronic pain.
In the later stages of infection, individuals can experience painful arthritis, particularly in the knees. Long-term issues may include memory problems, constant fatigue, body aches, and arthritis that doesn’t improve with treatment.
Some individuals may also get diagnosed with a condition called post-treatment Lyme disease. While not well understood, this condition can lead to reinfection with Lyme disease and autoimmunity, a condition where the immune system attacks healthy tissues.
Early diagnosis and treatment are essential. However, because the initial signs of Lyme disease infection resemble those of the flu and other milder conditions, individuals may not seek treatment until symptoms intensify into the second or third stages of the infection.
Applying for Social Security Disability for Lyme Disease
Because Lyme disease does not have its own listing in the SSA Blue Book, applying for disability benefits means you must demonstrate that your condition has lasted or is expected to last at least 12 months. Your symptoms must also prevent you from performing Substantial Gainful Activity, or SGA.
There are also additional eligibility criteria for certain benefits, such as having accumulated sufficient work credits or meeting specific financial eligibility guidelines. You will need ample medical documentation and evidence that proves how your symptoms prevent you from holding gainful employment and how your significant Lyme disease symptoms are medically equivalent to an existing Blue Book disability listing.
Why Hire a Social Security Disability Attorney?
Applying for Social Security disability benefits can be a daunting and confusing process. Lyme disease can sap your energy, cause pain and mobility problems, and make sitting down to apply for the benefits you need feel impossible. That’s why you need to hire an experienced Oklahoma Lyme disease disability lawyer.
At Ryan Bisher Ryan & Simons, our legal team prioritizes securing a better future for you and your family. We’ll work with you to gather critical medical evidence documenting your limitations and to accurately and meticulously complete and file disability paperwork, giving you the best opportunity to achieve a favorable outcome for your claim.
If you have filed and received a denial, we can also help you fight back by appealing your denial and working with you to build a solid claim.
Speak to the SSD Lawyers at Ryan Bisher Ryan & Simons Today
A Lyme disease diagnosis can change your life and impact your ability to earn a living. With help from the dedicated Lyme disease disability team at Ryan Bisher Ryan & Simons, we can help you pursue the disability benefits you deserve.
Contact our Oklahoma City office today to arrange for a free, fully confidential legal consultation to discuss your situation.
We are Ryan Bisher Ryan & Simons, a legal firm that, for decades, has been fighting for the rights of hardworking Oklahoma residents. Our mission is to hold the powerful accountable.
