A number of our Social Security Disability clients suffer from Addison’s disease. Individuals suffering from this disorder frequently experience the following symptoms:
- fatigue,
- dizziness, and
- muscle weakness with difficulty standing up.
The course of prescribed treatment can include hydrocortisone tablets or prednisone to replace missing cortisol, fludrocortisone to replace missing aldosterone. While not all individuals who have been diagnosed with Addison’s disease will be found disabled under Social Security rules, one source of information for people with Addison’s disease that we recommend is Addison’s Disease Research Today. Addison’s Disease Research Today is a monthly online journal summarizing recent findings on Addison’s disease.
Recently we have assisted individuals with Addison’s disease in getting Social Security Disability and Supplemental Security Income. Their cases were among the more severe of those suffering with the disorder. The degree of frequency and severity of individual symptoms are unique in each case and will determine, to a large degree, whether an individual claim will be granted benefits.
Some diseases are included in Social Security’s Listing of impairments and some are not. In some instances, a disease, while not Listed, is addressed in a Social Security Ruling. The Rulings offer guidance but do not set out specific criteria for an award of benefits. Other diseases are not in the Listings or recognized in a Social Security Ruling.
Regardless of the disease, you or your lawyer should have the following:
- a good working list of your symptoms,
- a knowledge of the degree of certainty of your diagnosis,
- a general understanding of the consistency between your symptoms and your diagnosis,
- a good understanding of what evidence might best support your contention that your symptoms are disabling, and
- which legal theory will most likely be accepted by the Social Security Administration given the particular facts of the entire case.
If you, or someone you know, is suffering from severe Addison’s disease, consider contacting Addison’s Disease Research Today for additional information on the disorder. If you are considering a Social Security Disability claim, we advise you to speak with an attorney. We handle cases throughout the state of Texas, but we are always happy to give you a referral if we are unable to assist you.
