Long COVID and Disability
By Jessica M. Friedman of Friedman Law Firm, P.C.
Thursday, April 28, 2022
The pandemic seems to be winding down, but for some, there remains a long road ahead
The topic of long COVID and disability insurance has become increasingly relevant in the world of Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI). In the United States, COVID has infected more than 80,000,000 people, claiming nearly 1,000,000 lives. In the year of vaccines and decreased restrictions, these numbers have slowed dramatically. For some, however, the damage is already done, and answers on what to expect are still in development.
The CDC estimates that around 1.3 million Americans are currently too sick to return to their jobs, infected with what scientists are calling post-acute sequelae of SARS-CoV-2, or long COVID, a condition in which the symptoms of COVID continue for weeks, months, or potentially without end, depending on the individual.
The American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation paints a more bleak picture, estimating: “Up to 1/3 of COVID survivors will acquire the condition known as long or long-haul COVID-19.” Their report goes on to project that “long COVID will add as many as 22 million individuals to the U.S. population of disabled people.” A recent meta-analysis published by the Brookings Institutionsuggests that long COVID disabilities and workplace absences could account for 15% of America’s 10.6 million unfilled jobs.
What Are the Symptoms of Long COVID?
Long COVID symptoms commonly include shortness of breath, fatigue, and cognitive performance issues, such as difficulty concentrating, remembering, or making decisions. As
put by Laura Mauldin
Long COVID and Disability Insurance
There is indeed precedence when it comes to receiving SSDI or SSI due to lingering effects of the virus. Some COVID-19 patients, especially those who suffered severe infections, are already receiving disability benefits. The CDC defines a disability as “any condition of the body or mind that makes it more difficult […] to do certain activities and interact with the world around them." To receive support, applicants generally must show they have a condition that greatly limits their ability to work. The program routinely denied the majority of applicants before the pandemic. Between 2009 and 2018, the program denied 66% of applicants.
While these numbers can be intimidating, it is situations like these where you need experience you can rely on. The Social Security application alone can involve months of waiting, and the appeals process many must go through can present even further setbacks. At Friedman Law Firm, our motto is “
what we say = what we do.
” When we say that
we help navigate your claim
Obstacles “Long Haulers” Will Face in Qualifying for Disability
Obstacles “Long Haulers” Will Face in Qualifying for Disability
Subjectivity of Long COVID Symptoms
Much like the plain, old COVID we’ve all grown to know and love, individuals report symptoms that vary in type, intensity, and duration. The condition has been too recently discovered for its impact to be easily measured, even by a professional’s standards. The CDC acknowledges gaps in medical knowledge regarding long COVID, warning doctors not to rely solely on heart, lung and brain tests to diagnose the syndrome because the symptoms are so difficult to measure. “Lack of laboratory or imaging abnormalities does not invalidate the existence, severity, or importance of a patient’s symptoms or conditions,” the CDC cautions in its official guidance.
Invisible Conditions
Going Forward
If your long COVID symptoms aren’t being relieved and are affecting your ability to work, document what is happening and seek to begin the application process right away. You will need documentation from your doctor as regards your conditions. To receive disability payments, it must be medically determined that the impairment is going to last at least 12 months.
For help with the process from beginning to end, contact us at 205-879-3033, or send us an email through our Contact page.