What Are My Rights Under The Ada/social Security
The ADA prevents people who are disabled from being discriminated against at work. Your company cant cancel a job offer or fire you because you have bipolar disorder.
You must be able to do the basic tasks your job requires, but you can ask for accommodations. Accommodations are changes to your schedule or responsibilities that make your job easier to do.
Examples of accommodations for people with bipolar disorder are:
- a flexible schedule
- extra breaks during the day
- a desk organizer or planner
- noise cancelling headphones
- job coaching
- a support animal
Under the ADA, you also have a right to privacy. You dont have to tell your employer that you have bipolar disorder unless you want to share that information.
You can get Social Security disability benefits if your bipolar disorder is severe enough to prevent you from working or if it limits your ability to do your job.
Whether you can work depends on how severe your bipolar disorder is, and how much your symptoms affect your daily life.
Symptoms like mood swings, irritability, and trouble concentrating can make it harder to do many jobs.
In general, people with bipolar disorder have a harder time working than those who dont. Between never go back to work full time after their symptoms start.
It may be harder for you to work if you have:
- severe bipolar disorder
- frequent episodes of mania and/or depression
- constant low-level depression
- psychotic symptoms, such as hallucinations or delusions
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How Much Do I Get For Bipolar Disability
How much you can get as disability benefits if you have bipolar disability is essential information for you. Even though you clearly will not want your illness to deteriorate to a level where you need social security benefits to survive, this knowledge is essential.
People diagnosed with bipolar disorder may find it hard to hold down jobs. So the law steps in to protect them and ensure that they lead comfortable lives. The Social Security Administration has strict rules as to what qualifies as a disability. This article will explain whether bipolar disorder is a disability and how much social security income you can get for it.
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Applying For Ssdi: Bipolar Disorder Symptoms And Treatments
The symptoms of bipolar disorder are typically extreme shifts in an individuals mood. One day, for example, a person might feel the happiest they have ever been, become very hyperactive, have severe racing thoughts, or participate in seriously risky behavior. Weeks or even days later, their mood might dramatically shift to feelings of despair, hopelessness, severe depression and irritability.
For people with bipolar II disorder, fully manic episodes are absent, but hypomanic episodes occur . Many people with bipolar II disorder are capable of being very productive and successful during hypomanic episodes.
Treatment for bipolar disorder will vary based on the type of bipolar you are diagnosed with, such as Bipolar I, Bipolar II, Bipolar Disorder Not Otherwise Specified, or Cyclothymic, as they are described by the American Psychiatric Associations Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders
It is believed that bipolar disorder is genetic or genetically triggered when paired with environmental factors. Treatments are different for each person. Most treatment plans include psychotherapy and prescribed medication . Both treatments are typically thought to be useful in reducing the severity of bipolar symptoms and in the prevention of relapse.
Impairments That Qualify For Bipolar Disorder Disability Benefits
The Social Security Administration has established that a claimant with Bipolar Disorder must have a history of consistent symptomatic manic episodes, depressive syndromes, or a combination of both. Additionally, the claimants bipolar disorder should result in two of the following restrictions:
- severe limitation of daily activity,
- inability to interact with others in a normal way, or
- recurring episodes of decompensation, which last for an extended period of time.
If a claimant does not meet the aforementioned criteria, he/she may still qualify under a section in the Blue Book, which states that any individual with a medical history documenting at least two years of any chronic affective disorder, including Bipolar Disorder, can be granted disability benefits, despite the support of medication, if the impairment or ailment has resulted in:
- limitations of the capacity to perform basic work action, even when symptoms are controlled with psychosocial support and medication.
- the claimants condition must lead to persistent decompensation periods, or
- the residual illness process has caused a subsidiary adjustment that even a nominal boost in mental demands would cause the claimant to decompensate.
Because applying for disability benefits with a Bipolar Disorder diagnosis can be a complex and intimidating process, hiring a qualified Social Security Disability lawyer or disability advocate may be in a potential claimants best interest.
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Functioning And Disability In Bipolar Disorder: An Extensive Review
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Here Are Some Tips On How To Get Social Security Disability Benefits For Bipolar Disorder
Bipolar disorder is a long-term disruptive psychiatric condition that causes an individual to have intense mood swings. A person with bipolar can abruptly go from a state of depression to a state of euphoria or mania. This can make it difficult for a person with bipolar disorder to maintain employment, even with consistent medical treatment.
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There Are Four Types Of Bipolar Disorder:
Bipolar disorder affects people in different ways. Although medication and psychotherapy can help to control the symptoms of bipolar disorder, it may not completely eliminate them.
As a California disability benefits attorney can explain, the Social Security Administration maintains a listing of impairments that includes both medical and mental health conditions that are considered severe enough to prevent an individual from working. Bipolar disorder is listed in the SSAs listing of impairments.
To qualify for SSDI benefits with bipolar disorder, you must submit the following evidence:
Connect With Crest Ssd To Get Help From A Representative
Applying for disability benefits with a bipolar disorder diagnosis can be a complicated and intimidating process if youre applying alone. Every case is different, and an experienced disability advocacy service like Crest SSD is helpful to have in your corner to support your case.
Hiring a qualified SSDI representative may be in your best interest to help guide you through the application or appeals processes. We encourage you to reach out to us to determine the best method to increase your chances of getting disability for bipolar disorder.
Connect with us to discuss your situation and receive the benefits you or your loved one deserve. Complete this form or
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Let Crest SSD Help You File Your Social Security Disability Claim.
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Hiring Reliable Disability Lawyers In Columbia Sc
If you live in Columbia, SC and want to seek disability benefits as someone who has bipolar disorder, we can help you. Here at Surface Law Firm, our attorneys are highly experienced in SSAs disability requirements. Over the years, we have helped a large number of individuals successfully get disability benefits for both physical and mental limitations caused by various medical conditions. If you think you have a disability, contact us today and lets see if you qualify as per SSA requirements.
Work With A Disability Benefits Attorney
Like depression, a heart condition, or any type of physical disability, bipolar disorder is an impairment that may prevent a person from engaging in work. If you have been diagnosed with bipolar disorder, you may qualify for SSDI benefits. A Philadelphia disability benefits attorney can help you gather evidence and file an application, increasing the likelihood of a successful outcome.
Based in Philadelphia, Bross & Frankel has offices in both Pennsylvania and New Jersey to best serve our clients. Since 1995, we have represented individuals with disabilities in their quest to obtain benefits. To learn more or to schedule a free claim review, contact our office today at 795-8880, or reach out online.
Speak with an experienced disability lawyer about your claim today.
- Social Security Disability / SSI Claims
- Veterans Disability Compensation & Pension
- Long Term Disability Claims / ERISA Benefits
- Workers Compensation Claims
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Understanding The Va Disability Rating Levels
The VAs rating range for bipolar disorder is from 10% to 100%, depending on how serious the symptoms are and how much they affect your daily life. Representation by a lawyer, who presents lay testimony and organized evidence can help boost your VA disability rating and your compensation. Your family, friends and coworkers can provide information about how your symptoms affect your day-to-day life. An experienced VA disability attorney can build a case, have your testimony and evidence heard, and help you get the compensation you deserve.
The VA rates disability from service-connected bipolar disorder according to the following symptoms. Please not that these are general descriptions your Veterans Law Group attorney can provide you with much more specific information:
Types Of Bipolar Disorder
The insurance company may also want to know what type of Bipolar Disorder you suffer from. Health experts classify bipolar disorder into four types:
- Bipolar Affective Disorder 1: This type is diagnosed when you have had at least one manic episode, which could be followed or preceded by a major depressive or hypomanic episode. Individuals with Bipolar 1 experience full-blown mania. Symptoms may include high energy, insomnia, racing thoughts, extreme talkative behavior, hallucinations and delusions.
- Bipolar Affective Disorder 2: Sometimes referred to as Swinging Bipolar, you may be diagnosed with Bipolar 2 if you experience at least one depressive episode and one hypomanic episode. Unlike Bipolar 1, those diagnosed with Bipolar 2 arent known to have psychotic episodes. They can, however, suffer badly from depression.
- Cyclothymic Disorder: Cycolthymic Disorder is characterized by at least a two-year history of periods of both hypomania/mania and depression, but not to a major extent. Your manic and depressive episodes can go back and forth over a period of time, but not enough to meet full criteria of major depression. Those diagnosed with Cyclothymic Disorder do have trouble functioning at times.
- Bipolar Affective Disorder NOS : This type is diagnosed when you experience some characteristics of bipolar disorder, but none of which can be classified as one of the three other types.
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Contact Our Attorneys For Help With Your Ssdi Claim Today
When your bipolar disorder prevents you from working, SSDI benefits may be the only thing that helps you keep a roof over your head and provide for your family. Dont risk having your application rejected. We can help you identify the weak points in your application, get the medical records to fix them, and maximize your chances of getting benefits.
How To Win Disability Benefits For Bipolar Mood Disorder
There are specific challenges in preparing your long-term disability benefits claim for bipolar mood disorder. Ive already described the steps you should take to gain a firm diagnosis for bipolar mood disorder. Remember, the CPP disability administration will not approve your CPP disability benefits just because a doctor diagnosed you with the condition. If only it were that easy. To win CPP disability benefits for bipolar mood disorder, the true challenge is to prove that your symptoms render you unable to function in any workplace while taking into account your age and work experience.
You will have to present a very well organized application that includes well-documented medical evidence. In addition to comments and descriptions made above, here are the main points to consider for bipolar mood disorder:
- Be aware that some insurance policies limit mental illness disability claims to two years. So, if you have other disabling conditions , it is important to include those in the claim as well.
- It is critical that you are under the care of a psychiatrist.
- If recommended by your doctor, is is very important to receive treatment from a psychologist.
- It is vital that you follow and have followed your doctors treatment recommendations completely.
- Past refusal to take medications will often be grounds for a claim denial unless this action is supported by your psychiatrist in a well-documented treatment plan.
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Winning Disability Benefits For Bipolar Mood Disorder
Are the long-term symptoms of bipolar mood disorder preventing you from doing your job? Do you need to win disability benefits for bipolar mood disorder?
You may be suffering from the long-term symptoms of bipolar mood disorder, and you may want to learn more about gaining disability benefits to compensate you.
How Is Bipolar Disorder Diagnosed
The symptoms of bipolar disorder are difficult to prove and diagnose. Due to this difficulty of diagnosis, individuals with bipolar who apply for disability benefits are often denied initially. This is because the symptoms typically come and go in waves and there are times when people with bipolar disorder have no symptoms at all. The symptoms also need to be clearly out of the individuals normal range of mood and behavior. Doctors who diagnose individuals with bipolar disorder use one of the four basic types listed in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders.
Bipolar I Disorder: Individual has manic or mixed episodes that last longer than 7 days as well as depressive episodes that last at least 2 weeks. Manic episodes can get severe enough for hospitalization.
Bipolar II Disorder: Individual has episodes of hypomania instead of mania along with full depressive episodes. Hypomanic episodes are similar to manic episodes except that they are not as intense and dont tend to last as long.
Bipolar Disorder Not Otherwise Specified : Individual shows symptoms of bipolar disorder but technically doesnt meet the qualifications for bipolar I or II.
Cyclothymic Disorder: Individual has episodes of hypomania and periods of depression. These periods of depression are not severe enough to be considered full depressive episodes.
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Length And Levels Of Depression
Your depression or bipolar disorder must have lasted or be expected to last for at least a year, and must be at a level at which you would be unable to perform a job on a consistent and regular basis. The SSA does not require that you be depressed every day of the month, but you must show your depressive symptoms occur frequently enough to prevent you from working.
Quite often, your medical treatment records for a particular visit will say that you are “feeling better” or that your depression has “improved.” The SSA might use these records as a reason to deny you disability benefits. If your medical records include such notes, you can explain at a hearing before an administrative law judge whether you have good days and bad days with your disorder, and how often each occurs.
Consideration Of Your Residual Functional Capacity
If the SSA says you dont meet the disability listing, the SSA will consider what you can do. It does this by writing up your mental residual functional capacity . An MRFC is a description of what tasks you can do in a work setting it explains your communication skills, your ability to relate to others, your ability to speak to the public, and whether you can be reliable in showing up to work.
For instance, say you have bipolar disorder and there is evidence in your medical records that you have moderate impairment in your social functioning caused by mood swings and you have a moderate level of difficulty with concentration. Your RFC might look like the following: you have no limitations in walking/standing/sitting, you are unable to work with the public, and you are limited to simple 1-2 step instructions. This RFC would prevent you from working in many occupations, but you still would not be found disabled since there are simple unskilled jobs that do not require working with the public. Read more about how the SSA makes this decision in our article on how the SSA evaluates an RFC for disability.
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