West Virginia Social Security Blog

According to statistics, almost 300,000 people in Virginia and the rest of the United States have been diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. Another 200 cases are being diagnosed every week. Multiple sclerosis is a debilitating and progressive neurological disease that can impair a person's motor function and cause them to experience extreme fatigue, visual disturbances and mental impairment. The Social Security Administration understands the incapacitating effect of multiple sclerosis and has a specific neurological impairment listing for the disease, Listing 11.09, in its disability handbook.

Under this listing, people will be able to learn about the specific disability criteria the SSA has for SSI disability and Social Security Disability severity requirements. In order to meet the impairment listing, individuals must first be diagnosed with MS. People who apply for disability benefits will have to provide objective medial evidence from certified or licensed medical professionals or some other suitable source of medical treatment. The medical evidence that is provided will have to document the diagnosis of the disease.

People in West Virginia who are going through the application process for Social Security Disability benefits will be scheduled an application appointment. If the application appointment is missed, the applicant will have to meet certain obligations in order to secure benefits. Typically, when the appointment is missed, the Social Security Administration will send a letter, referred to as a closeout letter, to the applicant.

The closeout letter provides notice that the applicant has six months from the date of the denial notice to file for benefits with the date of SSA contact acting as the protected date of filing. If the applicant does not file during the six month window, he or she will receive a new filing date. This new filing date is typically the date that the person contacted the SSA to establish a new application appointment.

Many people in West Virginia who are no longer able to work due to disability file for Social Security benefits. A common question is whether or not an applicant's last job affects the chances of receiving a favorable decision. The Social Security Administration uses a five-step process, and two of the steps involve evaluating a claimant's ability to work.

The fourth step in the evaluation process is to determine whether or not a claimant can return to doing work similar to what they have done in the past. If this is not possible, the next step is to analyze if the claimant would be able to do another type of work with their existing conditions. During this process, the claimant's age, education and physical and mental limitations will be taken into consideration.

The men and women who serve in the United States military in any capacity or branch do a great service to the country, but sometimes, they pay a significant price for doing so. One of the most common effects of serving in active duty roles is a toll on a person's mental health. Military service is stressful, emotional and sometimes traumatic, and it can have a permanent impact on a person's mental well-being. 

The military is more accepting of the need to provide support for members dealing with mental health issues, and dealing with issues is not always grounds for discharge. However, severe cases of certain types of mental disabilities can affect a person's ability to continue with his or her military career. If this happened to you, you could have a valid claim to disability benefits.