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Social Security Disability — Neurological Conditions
MS, epilepsy, Parkinson's disease, and traumatic brain injury can destroy the ability to sustain reliable, full-time work. SSA's neurological listings are specific — and the functional limitations extend far beyond what tests alone can show.
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Neurological conditions affect people in ways that are often invisible to a casual observer — fatigue, cognitive difficulties, unpredictable symptom flares, medication side effects. SSA's evaluation process is designed for objective, measurable findings. Bridging the gap between what testing shows and what a person actually experiences at work is where legal representation matters most.
Many neurological claimants are denied because SSA focuses on what they can do on a good day, not on the consistency and reliability their condition actually permits. Our job is to make sure the record reflects the full picture — including bad days, unpredictable absences, and cognitive limitations that don't show up on imaging.
Key argument: Even if you can perform some tasks, disability requires showing you cannot sustain full-time competitive employment. For neurological conditions, attendance, reliability, and cognitive pace are often the deciding factors — not physical capacity alone.
Covered Conditions
How SSA Evaluates These Claims
SSA's neurological listings cover epilepsy, MS, Parkinson's, cerebral palsy, TBI, and many other conditions. Meeting a listing typically requires documenting the frequency and severity of episodes, or the specific functional deficits the condition has produced. We analyze whether your records satisfy listing criteria.
Epilepsy claims require detailed documentation of seizure frequency, type, duration, and post-ictal recovery. SSA also evaluates whether seizures occur despite adherence to prescribed treatment. Medical records from treating neurologists need to consistently document this information.
For conditions affecting memory, concentration, and processing speed — TBI, MS fatigue, post-stroke deficits — the mental RFC is often the critical battleground. Neuropsychological testing, if available, can be powerful evidence. We work to ensure these limitations are fully documented and argued.
Employers cannot accommodate workers who miss several days per month due to symptom flares or post-ictal states. Vocational experts consistently testify that two or more absences per month would eliminate competitive employment. We build the record around your actual attendance-affecting symptoms.
Common Questions
Yes. SSA's epilepsy listing requires documented seizures of specific types and frequencies despite adherence to prescribed treatment. Even if medication reduces seizure frequency, you may still qualify if seizures occur with sufficient regularity, or if the medication's side effects — sedation, cognitive dulling — themselves limit your ability to work.
MS is a relapsing-remitting condition for many people — that variability is expected and recognized by SSA. The standard is whether you can sustain full-time competitive work on a consistent basis, not whether you have good days. Your medical records need to document the pattern of relapses, recovery periods, and residual deficits over time.
Stroke claims benefit from neuropsychological testing, functional capacity evaluations, and detailed physician assessments of both physical limitations (weakness, coordination, balance) and cognitive deficits (memory, processing speed, executive function). Physical therapy and occupational therapy notes are also valuable. We help identify gaps in the record and address them before the hearing.
Absolutely. Neurological conditions and mental health conditions frequently co-occur — depression and anxiety are highly prevalent in MS, TBI, and Parkinson's. SSA evaluates all impairments in combination, and a thorough claim documents both the neurological and psychiatric dimensions.
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Neurological disability claims require careful preparation and the right legal strategy. Call and tell us what's going on — we'll tell you where you stand.
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