When Is POTS a Disability for Social Security?
Having symptoms of postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome that make working inconvenient isn’t enough to qualify for disability benefits.
Your POTS Social Security Disability claim needs to show three things:
- Your POTS symptoms rule out working your current or most recent job.
- Your health and other factors (age, education, skill set) prevent you from switching to new jobs.
- Your health problems that keep you from working will last 12 months or longer.
Disability benefits aren’t for taking a leave from work to rest. SSDI and SSI are for when you can’t work a substantial amount at any job to support yourself for the long term.
Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) covers people who have been working and paying into Social Security. Supplemental Security Income (SSI) is for people who demonstrate financial need.
Whichever benefit you apply for, the Social Security Administration (SSA) will want to see documentation of the specific symptoms that make it impossible for you to work.
Your disability claim for POTS should show that you suffer from symptoms like these:
- Rapid heart rate increases upon standing
- Lightheadedness and dizziness
- Brain fog
- Headaches
- Fainting
- Fatigue
- Chest pain
- Nausea and abdominal cramping
- Muscle and nerve pain
- Sleep disruption
- Anxiety
The clearer you can be about your symptoms, the more convincing your claim will be. Our Athens disability lawyers can help you tell your story and make a stronger case to the SSA.
What Do I Need for a POTS Social Security Disability Claim?
Be prepared to build a strong case when you apply for Social Security Disability for POTS.
When you apply for benefits, here’s what you need to do:
Step #1: Be ready to describe how your symptoms affect you.
You shouldn’t just talk about how your symptoms make it hard to work, although that is important. If heart issues, nausea, fatigue and brain fog make it impossible to focus on tasks, be clear about the exact tasks that they disrupt.
Also think about your daily routine outside of work and explain how postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome makes even simple tasks difficult.
Do your POTS symptoms make it a struggle to clean your home? Are you able to take care of yourself? Can you run errands on your own?
This information gives Social Security a better idea about how debilitating your symptoms are, making your POTS disability claim more convincing.
Step #2: Gather your medical evidence.
You need evidence backing up your POTS disability claim, including medical records.
Gather items like these:
- Results of tilt-table testing
- Heart rate and blood pressure logs when changing positions
- Results from neuropsychological testing showing cognitive limits in memory, processing speed and attention
- Records showing ongoing treatment
- Reports on effectiveness and side effects of your treatments
- A list of your prescription medications and their effectiveness
- Evidence that your POTS symptoms aren’t caused by a different treatable disorder
If you have other medical conditions causing your symptoms, you may want to focus your disability claim on those impairments, especially if they are more directly recognized by Social Security than POTS.
The more evidence you have, the better.
Step #3: Verify your work history or financial situation.
We mentioned that Social Security runs two disability benefits programs. SSDI is for people who have worked and paid into the system, and SSI is a need-based program.
In addition to evidence that you meet the SSA’s definition of disability, you also need to show that you meet the work history and financial requirements of one of these two programs.
If you apply for SSDI, be prepared to verify that you paid into Social Security with information about previous employers and jobs.
If you apply for SSI, your financial records need to show that you meet the program’s strict limitations on countable resources—$2,000 for individuals and $3,000 for couples.
Step #4: Apply for benefits, preferably with help from a disability lawyer.
Once you have your information organized, you can apply for SSDI or SSI online, over the phone or in person at a local Social Security office.
Before you do it on your own, we recommend consulting with a Georgia disability attorney from Silver & Archibald.
The application process is more complicated than most people expect, and it takes months to get a response from the SSA.
Most people face denials and the need to appeal.
An attorney can help you maximize your chances of winning benefits from the beginning.
How a Georgia Disability Lawyer Helps with Your POTS Disability Claim
If your POTS symptoms are debilitating enough to stop you from working, you’re worried about your health and how you’re going to pay your bills. You’ve got enough on your plate.
Let a Georgia Social Security Disability lawyer who understands this system handle some of the work of getting financial assistance. We’ll guide you through each stage of this process and help you build a strong case for benefits.
Your lawyer can:
- Identify specific job duties that your POTS symptoms interfere with
- Gather medical evidence that strengthens your claim
- Go over your daily routine and help you explain how your symptoms impact your everyday life
- Assist you with disability application forms
- Help you avoid common mistakes that result in denials
- Keep you updated on the status of your claim
- Support your appeal if your initial application is denied
- Represent you at a disability hearing in front of an administrative law judge
- File your appeal with the Social Security Appeals Council or in Federal District Court, if needed
Winning disability benefits for POTS isn’t easy, but we know how to navigate this process and make a convincing case for benefits.
Silver & Archibald is the top disability law firm in Georgia in Social Security’s own rankings of disability representatives who win the most in benefits.
From our office in Athens, we’ve helped thousands of people in Atlanta, Savannah, Columbus and across Georgia win benefits that brought peace of mind and stability back to their lives.
If your POTS symptoms are serious enough to stop you from working, you need a disability attorney who will take the time to listen to you and build a convincing SSDI or SSI claim.
It costs you nothing to have us take a look at your case and give you an idea of how to move forward.
Get to Know Silver & Archibald Disability Attorneys
Legal cases involving your health struggles are highly personal matters. When you’re looking for help, you want someone who treats you with the personal care, respect, and dignity this moment requires.
Answers to Common Questions About Social Security Disability
Social Security Disability is a huge program with a vast set of rules. As a resource for you as you sort out your disability claim, the disability lawyers at Silver & Archibald have prepared answers to some of the most common questions people have.
Common Disability Benefits Questions »
X
By providing the information above, I grant permission for a licensed insurance agent from Silver & Archibald to call, text, or email me regarding my Medicare health plan options including Medicare Advantage Plans, Medicare Supplement Plans, and Prescription Drug Plans.
The person who will be discussing plan options with you is contracted by a Medicare Health Plan or Prescription Drug Plan and is not affiliated with or endorsed by the government or Federal Medicare program. Calls may be made by auto dialer, text or robocall and are for marketing purposes. Cellular carrier charges may apply. You can change permission preferences at any time by calling 706-410-9292. There is no obligation to enroll. Signing this form does NOT affect your current enrollment, nor will it enroll you in a Medicare Advantage Plan, Prescription Drug Plan, or other Medicare plan. This is a solicitation for insurance.