People in Washington state who have severe health conditions that prevent them from returning to work might be overwhelmed by the daunting application process for disability benefits. Although the Social Security Administration says it is essential to process Social Security disability applications quickly, the process could take months, and a significant percentage of applications are initially denied. However, the SSA has a list of serious disabilities that get preference and the applications of people suffering from those conditions are fast-tracked.
The list of severe medical conditions and diseases include acute leukemia, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), pancreatic cancer and many more to make up the current number of 233 diseases. Additions are made to the essential list from time to time, with the latest changes made in Aug. 2018. At that time, five conditions were added to the primary list of the Compassionate Allowances Program to ensure the prompt provision of benefits to individuals with those conditions.
The additions included Megacystis Microcolon Intestinal Hypoperistalsis Syndrome (MMIHS), Fibrolamellar Cancer, Superficial Siderosis of the Central Nervous System, Tetrasomy 18p, and Megalencephaly-Capillary Malformation Syndrome (MCAP). The conditions on this list are those that are most likely to qualify for benefits. They are all conditions that will prevent the person from returning to work for at least one year, or expected to lead to death.
Navigating a Social Security disability application is a complex process, especially for a person in poor health. For this reason, many people in Washington without the legal training and experience to face the challenges choose to utilize the skills of an experienced SSDI attorney. The support and guidance of legal counsel will likely vastly increase the client’s chances of obtaining the maximum allowable benefits.