Covid Long Haul and Social Security Disability

Social Security Disability is a federal program to assist individuals who suffer from long-term disabilities that will keep them from working for 12 months or longer. This program is funded through payroll taxes that everyone sees on their pay stubs. 

Applying for SSDI as a COVID long-hauler is a bit of a complex topic at this point. Due to the associated symptoms of long COVID, it is reasonable to connect having the disease and qualifying for disability benefits. However, every case is individually considered by the Social Security Administration (SSA) before approval, and there are plenty of cases that are later approved after being initially denied. 

Long COVID, or long-haul COVID, is a term to describe a syndrome where symptoms continue months after a coronavirus infection. Researchers think that 10% to 30% of patients who had COVID infections might suffer from long COVID, or "post-COVID syndrome," whether their initial illness was serious or not. Some researchers define chronic COVID-19 as extending beyond 12 weeks, but the symptoms may in fact last many months.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), long COVID has the following symptoms associated with it: 

-Fatigue and shortness of breath

-Difficulty concentrating

-Headache

-Dizziness

-Chest pain

-Cough

-Muscle pain

-Depression

-Fever

-Loss of taste or smell

You'll need to show Social Security three main things to get disability benefits for long COVID:

1. a diagnosis, with signs of your illness and a record of your symptoms

2. evidence of your limitations and how they affect your ability to work, and

3.documentation that your inability to work has lasted, or will likely last, 12 months.

Keep going to your doctor or specialists to document your symptoms and how your limitations keep you from leading a normal life or being able to work. Get a diagnosis, not just of post-COVID syndrome, but of the underlying mechanisms that are making you sick. 

Given that individuals most affected by COVID often have pre-existing conditions, it is even more important to document and have your doctor be aware of all symptoms and issues. It is possible that the pre-existing condition was not enough to qualify for SSDI, but the addition of COVID has now made it impossible for you to work. 

As with many conditions, time will tell what is more likely to get approved for disability-related to COVID. As more data comes out as it is learned, the SSA may open up certain conditions associated with COVID and make it easier for individuals afflicted with them to get approved. 

COVID long-haulers will likely be added to a classification of disability in the future, making the benefits approval process more defined. As of now, long COVID is already associated with some conditions that have been known to spark disability approvals in individuals.  

If you need helping applying for Social Security Disability or SSI, please contact me at joshben99@gmail.com. I have over 20 years experience with Social Security Disability cases.

Location: Michigan, USA

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