My Spouse Had a Stroke. Are We Eligible for Social Security Benefits?

 Posted on June 30, 2022 in Social Security Disability Medical Conditions

A stroke can have a serious impact on your quality of life and ability to hold down a job. During a stroke, blood flow to your brain is disturbed either through a lack of blood flow, known as an ischemic stroke or by a leakage of blood, known as a hemorrhage. Depending on the section of the brain that is impacted, you may suffer from mobility issues, impaired vision, and slurred speech. Given the potentially life-altering impact of a stroke, victims are eligible for Social Security disability benefits.

Qualifying Factors for Benefits After a Stroke

If a stroke prevents you or your spouse from working for at least 12 months, you can file a claim for Social Security disability benefits. In the Neurological Impairment section of the Social Security Administration’s Blue Book, there are three ways you can qualify for benefits.

Stroke victims qualify for disability benefits if they:

• Cannot speak or communicate effectively for three months or more after the stroke. Difficulty speaking or forming words is known as motor aphasia, while fluent but nonsensical speech is called sensory aphasia.
• Cannot control movement in at least two of their extremities after at least three months of treatment. This can be a combination of arms and legs and often results in difficulty standing up, balancing while walking or standing, and trouble using their arms.
• Show marked limitations in physical function plus they have trouble understanding, remembering, or applying information, difficulty interacting with others, suffer from concentration problems, or cannot adapt or manage themselves.

If your stroke resulted in vision loss or other physical limitations, you may also qualify for benefits under those sections.

If you or your spouse do not qualify under the sections above, you may still be evaluated by the Social Security Administration to see what work you may be able to perform—a measure that is known as your residual capacity. This evaluation may show that your stroke is preventing you from working, which could lead to qualification for disability benefits.

Contact a Chicago Social Security Disability Attorney

At Pearson Disability Law, LLC, we have experience assisting with benefits applications for stroke victims and numerous other disability cases. Our Illinois Social Security Disability lawyer will take the time to learn about your case and ensure that your application is complete and includes all relevant information. If you or a loved one suffered a stroke and would like to know more about your ability to qualify for benefits, call for a free consultation at 312-999-0999.

Sources:

https://www.ssa.gov/disability/professionals/bluebook/AdultListings.htm

https://www.stroke.org/en/life-after-stroke/recovery/managing-your-stroke/finances-insurance-and-assistance/social-security-disability-benefits-after-a-stroke