Taxing work conditions and stressful, unhealthy lifestyle of the present-day world can trigger different mental health-related diseases and disorders like depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, panic disorder, addiction to intoxicants, and social or psychological disorders. Though these conditions may be common in our society, if it disables you from working, you may be entitled to receive Social Security Disability (SSD) benefits from the Social Security Administration (SSA).
However, several claims for anxiety disorders get rejected for different kinds of reasons. Therefore, when you apply for a disability claim for anxiety, it may be advisable to avoid the mistakes that can lead to your claim getting rejected.
SSD claim for anxiety disorder
Mental illness can be the ground for an SSD claim. In fact, it is one of the most common reasons that renders an individual unable to work and therefore entitle to SSD benefits. The SSA maintains a Listing of Impairments (Blue Book) and lists several mental disorders that qualify a claimant for SSD benefits. Anxiety and obsessive-compulsive disorders are mentioned at 12.06 in the Blue Book.
Anxiety-related disorders include excessive anxiety, a sense of worry, apprehension, and extreme fear. It also includes avoidance of feelings, thoughts, activities, objects, etc. There are different symptoms that can help an affected person suspect the existence of an anxiety-related medical condition including a reduced attention span, lack of energy, insomnia or relatively fewer difficulties in sleeping, hyper-vigilance, obsessions, physical problems, muscle tension, and apprehensions of physical safety. Examples of anxiety-related disorders would include social anxiety disorder, panic disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, and obsessive-compulsive disorder.
Why Anxiety Disorders Claims Are Rejected?
Anxiety is not peculiar for being subject to a high rate of rejection. Claims for all kinds of mental illness often get rejected due to different reasons. Despite the extensive list of qualifying disabilities, 64 percent of initial claims for mental health disorders get rejected. So, there are some mistakes that you should avoid to make sure that you fall in the category of claims that get approved.
Lack of complete documentation
A major reason claims for anxiety disorders get denied is incomplete documentation. Mental health professionals, i.e., psychologists and psychiatrists tend to make notes that would help them in diagnosing the medical condition they are dealing with and finding the proper course of treatment to cure the condition.
As such, medical professionals do not create documentary evidence when preparing treatment documents. Therefore, the SSA could deny your claim due to a lack of documentary evidence. In some cases, the mental health professionals working with the claimant may have to prepare additional notes for the purpose of proving anxiety-related disorder.
No treatment history
In order to prove that you suffer from a qualifying disability, there must be a prior treatment record for your anxiety disorder. But very often, claimants end up consulting their regular physician instead of scheduling an appointment with a mental health professional. However, a prescription from the physician for an antidepressant won’t help you show that you suffer from an anxiety disorder. In such a case, your claim could be rejected by the SSA.
No compliance with the treatment course
In many cases, it has been observed that the claimant was diagnosed with an anxiety-related disorder and advised medication or undergoing therapy sessions. But the claimant, unfortunately, missed the medication or skipped the therapy sessions.
What the SSA determines is whether the claimant is able to work despite the medical limitations. This determination cannot be carried out properly unless the claimant follows the treatment plan.
Lack of Duration
Many anxiety-related disorder claims tend to get rejected because the SSA examiner or the Administrative Law Judge (ALJ) concludes that you don’t suffer from the disability for the required duration. Especially in cases of cyclic conditions that tend to improve over time and then decline, it could be extremely difficult to prove the qualifying disability.
Inability to work has not proved
When you suffer from an anxiety disorder and decide to file for an SSD claim, the SSA ascertains whether you are unable to perform any job. Therefore, even if you are unable to perform even your last job, you won’t be entitled to benefits unless you are rendered incapable of doing any job. This often leads to rejection of the disability claim, especially in the case of younger and physically fit claimants as they may be able to perform other jobs.
Contact an Experienced Anxiety Disability Benefits Lawyer
Given the high rate of rejection that anxiety disability claimants face, you should contact an experienced and knowledgeable anxiety disability benefits lawyer to help your case. At NY Disability, we have a team of attorneys and experienced disability lawyers who can help you prepare appropriate documentation for your benefits claim and leave no stone unturned in getting you the benefits you deserve.