The Listing Strategy
How to Win Your PTSD Disability Case Using the Listing Argument
A brief word about PTSD
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, or PTSD as it is more commonly called, can be and oftentimes is a very disabling medical condition that currently affects many individuals and impacts the lives of those around them. It creates a serious disruption in a person’s life to the extent that they cannot perform any type of job, even if it is a simple, entry level job. PTSD usually results from one of the following events:
- war and other military events
- rape or sexual assault
- physical abuse
- living through a traumatic event (or just witnessing one)
- a hurricane (or other natural disaster)
- a bad accident
The problems which can arise from the onset of PTSD
In regards to the prior section above, there are a number of problems for the individual who is suffering with PTSD that can arise after the onset of the condition. These include:
- recurring nightmares about the event which creates difficulty sleeping
- “flashbacks” or feelings that the event is occurring again
- guilt, sadness, and worry
- feeling helpless and alone
- frequent uncontrollable and angry outbursts
Winning a PTSD disability case using the Listing Argument
In many circumstances, an experienced Social Security Disability attorney may be needed in order to present your case and use the Listing Argument strategy to win your case so that you are awarded SSDI benefits. The SSA typically evaluates a medical disease or disorder such as PTSD under the requirements of the listing of the condition. An experienced Social Security Disability attorney who has regularly practiced cases like this is skilled at using the Listing Argument to present and hopefully win your case.
The key advantage to having an experienced Social Security Disability attorney in your corner is that they are well versed at preparing specific documentation pertinent to your case. One of these documents is a checklist oftentimes referred to as an RFC form and it is a powerful tool where your PTSD disability claim is concerned. Attorneys who handle these types of disability cases in front of an SSA adjudicator or judge can oftentimes prove that their clients meet the SSA’s listing requirements by creating and presenting this checklist.
The key role that this checklist plays is that it speaks the language that the adjudicator or judge is looking for which your treating physician or specialist uses when filling out the form relative to your specific case, therefore affording you a better chance of being awarded the SSDI benefits that you deserve and need.
