West Virginia workers who have become disabled but are not taking medication might wonder if this fact would mean they cannot qualify for Social Security Disability benefits. It is not necessary to be taking medication for a disability in order to be approved for disability benefits; however, if a claimant is not taking medications, it could be more likely that the claim will be denied.
Social Security identifies many disabling conditions, and it is possible to be approved for disability benefits even if the disabling condition is not on the administration’s list. But in order to be approved, a person must demonstrate that his or her medical condition makes working impossible. Someone who has a disability and is taking medication for his or her condition could be more likely to have a claim approved than someone who has a disability but is not taking medication. In the latter case, a disability examiner might be of the opinion that the disability is not severe, or deny the claim because it could be possible for the person to work if he or she was taking medication.
In some cases, a disabled person might not be taking medication because of having no health insurance and being unable to afford medication. Even in this case, lack of medication or lack of seeking help from doctors could make it unlikely that a disability claim would be approved. But someone in this position could seek medical help from free clinics or free prescription services.
A Social Security Disability claimant’s personal physician can provide records and information that can help to prove that the disability is permanent. But because doctors are busy, patients might have a difficult time communicating with their doctors about a disability case or obtaining records. When a disability claimant is represented by an attorney, the attorney could make contact with physicians and obtain medical records on the client’s behalf.