Does Lupus Qualify for Disability in Wisconsin?

Madison resident preparing for ALJ hearing

Lupus leaves your life in a state of confusion. The symptoms are hard to pin down. They appear and disappear. They change. It takes an average of six years to get a diagnosis.

This much is clear: The condition can be severe enough to force you out of work.

And without a paycheck, the hard time you’re going through gets even harder. The Lupus Foundation of America said medical care and lost productivity cost on average $21,000 per year for each person with lupus. Most lupus patients report a loss of income.

Here’s where you can look for financial relief: Social Security Disability benefits.

Social Security Disability can provide monthly checks allowing you to keep up with your basic expenses and maintain a sense of dignity and independence in your life.
But just like lupus itself, winning benefits is complicated. Most people get denied when they initially apply.

At the Becker Law Office, we focus our practice on helping people in Madison, Wausau and all over Wisconsin appeal their denials and finally win benefits.

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Woman getting assistance with her social security disability appeal form in Madison,WI
Qualifying for Social Security Disability Benefits with Lupus

Having your immune system go awry and attack other parts of your body—which is what happens with lupus—can cause severe fatigue, headaches, joint pain, fever, hair loss, unhealthy weight loss and more.

The Lupus Foundation calls this disease a “cruel mystery” because there’s no known cause or cure. About 1.5 million people in the United States live with it.

The Social Security Administration gives you two ways to qualify for disability benefits with lupus:

1. Show that you meet Social Security’s disability listing for systemic lupus erythematous (SLE) by demonstrating that:

  • Lupus is affecting two or more of your organs or body systems.
  • You experience at least two of these symptoms: fatigue, fever, malaise or involuntary weight loss.

2. Show that your ability to function is limited by confirming that you experience at least two of the symptoms above, plus one of these conditions:

  • Limitation of your daily activities
  • Limitation in your ability to function socially
  • Limitation in completing tasks because of problems with concentration, sticking to tasks and keeping pace.

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Woman searching for assistance with her social security disability appeal form in Madison,WI
Types of Evidence You Need to Show Social Security

You can’t just tell Social Security that your lupus symptoms make it impossible for you to work. They want you to prove it. And you prove it by providing medical evidence of your diagnosis and treatment.

You can prove you need benefits by:

  • Providing documentation of your diagnosis from a rheumatologist or a physician specializing in lupus.
  • Showing test results that rule out other conditions. Lupus has symptoms that are common to many other health problems.
  • Filing doctor’s reports that describe your symptoms in detail.
  • Sharing medical records that describe the treatments you’ve undergone and their effects.
  • Providing a list of medications you’ve been prescribed and how they’ve worked.
  • Submitting test results for common complications of lupus.
  • Sharing a daily diary of your symptoms.
  • Providing any other treatment records.

It’s a lot of work to sort out, all while your energy level is already low thanks to your bad health.

Rather than struggle with this yourself, get the experienced disability lawyers at the Becker Law Office to help you gather and organize all the information you need.

We can take the burden off you. And we can improve your chances of winning benefits. A government report found that you’re almost three times more likely to be awarded benefits after your hearing with a disability judge if you bring a representative with you.

Don’t take any chances with your financial future. We’ll be upfront with you about your case and chances of getting benefits. And you won’t pay an attorney’s fee until you win.

Contact Us Now.

Get your free consultation from one of our Social Security Disability attorneys.

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