A neck injury disability lawyer can explain that many underlying medical issues can result in neck pain and other neck problems. For example, if your joints have become worn, your nerves are compressed, you suffer from certain diseases or you strain a neck muscle, you may develop pain and problems. A neck injury disability lawyer can also pinpoint the common causes of neck pain, such as whiplash in a car accident, herniated discs, meningitis, arthritis, cancer and degenerative disc disease.
Symptoms
A neck injury disability lawyer may discuss the symptoms that your neck problems are causing you. Common symptoms include headaches, pain in the face, sharp pain, numbness, dizziness, arm tingling, pain in the shoulders and difficulty swallowing.
Disability Benefits
A neck injury disability lawyer can explain the Social Security disability process with you and what it will entail for you to qualify for benefits. There are two basic ways that your neck injury disability lawyer will explain to you: meeting one of the disability listings or proving that you cannot work due to your disability.
Meeting a Disability Listing
A neck injury disability lawyer can explain that the Social Security Administration uses a sequential evaluation process to determine if you are disabled. If you are found to be disabled or not disabled at any step, the process stops. One of the early steps of the evaluation process is to determine if an applicant’s impairment meets or equals one of those listed in the Listing of Impairments. Certain spinal problems are listed here. If you happen to meet the requirements listed under one of these specific impairments, your neck injury disability lawyer can explain that you will be approved for benefits and you will not have to prove how your neck issues limit you.
Unable to Work
If you do not meet one of the listed impairments, your neck injury disability attorney can explain that your case will proceed to the next steps. If the Social Security Administration finds that you cannot return to work, your neck injury disability attorney can explain that you may be eligible for Social Security disability benefits. Your neck injury disability attorney will explain that this step requires the Administration to determine your limitations by factoring in your age, work experience, education and residual functional capacity. For some neck injuries, you may not be able to use your arms without limitation. In other injuries, you may not be able to focus on certain work activities when pain has a tremendous effect on you and your ability to work.
If you would like to know more about applying for Social Security disability benefits, contact a neck injury disability lawyer at Schiffman Law Office, P.C., by calling (602) 235-0539.
