Minnesota Disability Benefits for Depression

Disability for Depression Lawyer

Disability benefits for depression are available from the Social Security Administration (SSA) if you are unable to work. Disability for depression can arise from several different forms. The most common form of depression seen by the SSA is major depressive disorder.

Many people also develop secondary depression following traumatic injuries, chronic pain and illnesses. There are several important things to consider if you are applying or appealing a denial for disability benefits for depression.

Tips for Winning Depression Disability Benefits

1. Acceptable Documentation: The SSA only considers medically acceptable diagnosis and documentation for depression from psychologists and psychiatrists. Records and reports from hospitals, clinics, nurses and other treatment providers are also considered in the SSA evaluation but are not enough to establish a claimant’s disability for depression without proper medical documentation.

It is also very important to have documentation over an extended period of time. What Social Security refers to as “longitudinal evidence”. Because a person’s functional limitations from depression can vary over time it is vital to have documentation over a sufficiently long period of time.

2. Non-medical Documentation: Documentation from mental health centers counselors, social workers, nurses, family members, co-workers and others who have knowledge of the claimants functional limitations can also be helpful in providing information regarding activities of daily living, social functioning, concentration, persistence and pace, or tolerate increased mental demands.

3. Psychological Testing: Medically acceptable standardized tests are additional evidence that is helpful in establishing your depression disability. Results on tests such as Intelligence tests (IQ tests), the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale (WAIS), the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI), the Rorschach and the Thematic Apperception Test (TAT) can provide evidence of abnormalities causing your depression.

4. Loss of Function Evidence: This is probably the most important factor Social Security uses to determine your disability benefits for depression. Regardless of the cause of your depression impairment, functional loss refers to an inability to walk effectively on a sustained basis, or inability to perform fine and gross movements effectively on a sustained basis. The SSA is more concerned with how your depression affects and limits your ability to work rather than your diagnosis.

Detailed information about your activities of daily living and functional limitations is very helpful in documenting your disability for depression. This is an area that many claimants neglect and leads to denials for their case. Claimants should complete what are referred to as residual functional capacity (RFC) forms.

Residual Functional Capacity Forms (RFC): Residual functional capacity forms can also provide strong evidence for Social Security when they are evaluating your claim of disability benefits for depression. At the initial, reconsideration or CDR level, the SSA will have a psychologist or psychiatrist do a mental RFC assessment.

However, you can have your own treating doctor fill out a mental residual functional capacity form. This form can then be used to show the limitations caused by your depression.

5. Medication Side-Effects: This is another overlooked factor that can provide additional evidence of your disability for depression. Many people who suffer from depression have to take medication to manage their symptoms. Side-effects of pain medication can interfere with a claimant’s daily activities. Examples of medication side-effects include drowsiness, nausea, fatigue and blunted emotions. Documentation of these adverse effects is important because it provides additional evidence of the severity of your depression and will be included in Social Security’s assessment of your residual functional capacity.

Fields Law depression disability lawyers will assist you in getting the medical tests you need to document your disability for depression. If you are unable to work because of depression we can help you apply for social security disability benefits for depression. If you have been denied disability benefits we can appeal your case.

We offer a Free case review. Our Minnesota disability lawyers understand how frustrating it is to have depression and be denied disability benefits when you are unable to work. There are never any fees unless we win your disability case.