Brain injuries are some of the most devastating injuries after an accident. They have long term consequences that can severely impair a person’s mental and cognitive abilities, ultimately affecting his ability to work and earn a living. These disabilities can leave a person unable to function at the very worst and unable to perform many tasks that would earn him a living.
If a person with a traumatic brain injury (TBI) is unable to work and earn a living, he and his family can quickly be at risk of financial catastrophe. If your loved one has suffered an injury, it’s important that you look into filing a claim for SSDI benefits as quickly as possible.
Qualifying for SSDI Benefits for Traumatic Brain Injuries
In the past, traumatic brain injury on its own was not listed as a qualifying condition in the Social Security Administration’s listing of impairments that qualify for disability. That changed in 2016, when the SSA added a new disability listing for TBI under neurological disorders (listing 11.18).
To qualify for benefits under this listing, you must:
- Be unable to control the movement of at least two extremities, for at least three consecutive months after the injury, resulting in difficulty balancing while standing or walking, standing up from a seated position, or using your arms.
OR
- Have “marked” physical problems and a “marked” limitation (for at least three months after the injury) in at least one of the following:
- thinking
- interacting with others
- finishing tasks, or
- regulating emotions and controlling behavior
For those who suffer a TBI that doesn’t result in lasting physical problems, the condition would be evaluated under listing 12.02 for neurocognitive disorders.
If your loved one has suffered TBI that leaves him with severe neurological, cognitive and mental deficits, discuss filing a claim for benefits with M. Stanley Whitehead, a Houston Social Security disability benefits lawyer.
