West Virginia residents and others who experience memory loss could use it as a basis to obtain disability benefits. This could be the case whether it is related to another condition like depression or is the result of a head injury. Individuals could also experience short-term memory loss because of chronic fatigue syndrome or fibromyalgia. Whether or not difficulty remembering past events is considered to be a disability depends on the level of impairment it creates.
In other words, an individual would generally only be entitled to benefits if memory loss prevented that person from working. For instance, not being able to remember a manager’s instructions could make it difficult or impossible to hold a job. Problems with memory could also make it hard to remember skills learned in previous jobs or previously learned while working for the same employer.
Many different types of evidence could be used to determine if a person is eligible for benefits because of hearing loss. For example, a statement from a physician could be sufficient to approve a person’s request for benefits. In some cases, an individual will not have his or her application approved until after a hearing with an administrative law judge. It may be necessary to attend a consultative examination (CE) as part of the application process.
Those who meet the medical requirements to obtain disability benefits may be entitled to compensation because of short or long-term memory loss. This may be true whether it was the result of a workplace accident or an incident that occurred outside of the workplace. An attorney might help an individual gather medical evidence and mail paperwork to an examiner in a timely manner. Doing so may maximize the chances that an individual obtains a financial award as quickly as possible.