Depression is a medical condition that many Americans cope with daily. Clinical depression causes feelings of frustration, sadness, and inadequacy. Individuals who’ve been diagnosed with clinical depression have felt these types of feelings continuously for months, or even years, making it difficult for them to maintain gainful employment. If you’ve been diagnosed with clinical depression, you may be entitled to Social Security benefits.
Discuss Your Case With a Las Vegas Disability Attorney
The Social Security disability attorneys at Roeschke Law, LLC Las Vegas understand how difficult it is for individuals with depression to carry on with their day-to-day activities. If you are no longer able to work due to clinical depression, we recommend scheduling a free case evaluation at Roeschke Law, LLC Las Vegas to learn more about whether you are eligible for Social Security benefits.
Applying for Social Security Benefits for Depression
The symptoms of depression can make it difficult, if not impossible, to deal with the stresses of a person’s social or working life. The Social Security Administration recognizes that mental health conditions can prevent a person from working just as a physical disability can.
If you’ve been diagnosed with depression and you will not be able to work for at least one year because of your symptoms, you can file a claim for Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) benefits. These monthly cash benefits can be used to help pay for your basic living expenses so you don’t have to worry so much about making ends meet when you are too sick to work.
Our Social Security Disability Attorneys Will Help You at Every Step of the Process
There are many different symptoms associated with depression, and every person’s medical condition is somewhat unique. You will need to show these specific ways depression makes it impossible for you to work by submitting documentation in your application. Providing adequate medical documentation can be difficult, especially while you are coping with the symptoms of depression.
The attorneys at Roeschke Law, LLC Las Vegas, are here to help at every stage of the process. We will help you gather statements from your former employers and co-workers, your psychologist or psychiatrist, family members, social workers, and anyone else who can address the specific impact your depression symptoms have had on your ability to work. Our law firm will handle the application process from start to finish.
Medical Eligibility for Social Security Benefits with Depression
Social Security Administration examiners use a listing manual called the Blue Book to determine whether an applicant with depression qualifies for benefits. If the applicant’s depression falls within any of the following categories outlined in the listing, he or she will have a strong claim for benefits. According to the Blue Book, depressive syndrome is characterized by at least four of the following
- Anhedonia, or pervasive loss of interest in almost all activities
- Appetite disturbance with a change in weight
- Sleep disturbance
- Psychomotor agitation or retardation
- Decreased energy
- Feelings of guilt or worthlessness
- Difficulty concentrating or thinking
- Thoughts of suicide
- Hallucinations, delusions, or paranoid thinking
Manic syndrome is characterized by at least three of the following:
- Hyperactivity
- Pressured speech
- Flight of ideas
- Inflated self-esteem
- Decreased need for sleep
- Easy distractibility
- Involvement in activities that have a high probability of painful consequences which are not recognized
- Hallucinations, delusions, or paranoid thinking
The depression must result in at least two of the following:
- Marked restriction of activities of daily living
- Marked difficulties in maintaining social functioning
- Marked difficulties in maintaining concentration, persistence, or pace
- Repeated episodes of decompensation, each of extended duration
The claimant must have a documented history of a chronic affective disorder that has lasted for at least two years. The disorder must have caused more than a minimal limitation of ability to do basic work activities. Additionally, the claimant must have symptoms or signs currently attenuated by medication or psychosocial support and one of the following:
- Repeated episodes of decompensation, each of extended duration; or
- A residual disease process that has resulted in such marginal adjustment that even a minimal increase in mental demands or change in environment would be predicted to cause the individual to decompensate; or
- Current history of one or more years’ inability to function outside a highly supportive living arrangement, indicating the continued need for such an arrangement
What If I Don’t Meet the Criteria in the Blue Book for Bipolar Disorder?
The standard of proof for obtaining Social Security benefits for depression is high. If you cannot meet the standard outlined in the blue book, but you still can’t work, you may be eligible for benefits under the Medical Vocational Allowance by completing the Residual Functional Capacity (RFC) evaluation form. You will need to show that you have been diagnosed with depression by a medical doctor and that a psychologist or psychiatrist is currently treating you.
The treatment needs to be long enough for the professional to develop a credible opinion of your disability. Your treatment provider will need to provide detailed information about your depression and the specific limitations due to that illness. The Social Security Administration will consider the evaluation and your skills, work history, and limitations to determine whether you are eligible for benefits.
Contact a Social Security Disability Attorney Today
If you or a loved one is unable to continue working due to clinical depression, you aren’t alone. The attorneys at Roeschke Law, LLC Las Vegas, have successfully helped many clients just like you recover the Social Security benefits they need. We do not charge our clients until we have successfully obtained benefits on their behalf. Our attorneys will carefully review your case and help you understand your legal options. Contact the Las Vegas disability benefits attorneys at Roeschke Law, LLC Las Vegas today to schedule your free case evaluation.