Our law firm has represented many people in their fight to receive disability benefits for obsessive-compulsive disorder. OCD is an illness that produces undesired, unshakable thoughts or beliefs (obsessions) in a person. These obsessions, in turn, cause the person to conduct certain actions or behaviors (compulsions) over and over again.
For people with OCD, their brain cannot let go of a certain thought. They know that this makes no sense, and this causes them extreme anxiety. To get rid of these obsessive thoughts, the person creates rules, or rituals, that they repeat excessively to make their unwanted thoughts stop.
Was your claim for obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) denied by Social Security, the Veterans Administration or an insurance company?
Our experience has given us a genuine understanding of this disorder that renders many of its victims unable to perform a normal 40-hour per week job.
If you have been denied disability for OCD, consult with us at no cost. A denied claim does not mean your rights to benefits are finished. We will evaluate your case, and advise you about your legal options for appeal.
Wherever you live, we are able to fully represent you and enforce your rights.
Reach us online: Free Consultation with a lawyer about your OCD Disability benefits.
By Phone: 800-562-9830
OCD Symptoms
For people struggling with obsessive-compulsive anxiety disorders, the simplest aspects of daily life can present tremendous challenges.
Examples of obsessions (thoughts) are:
- Fixation on certain numbers, words, sounds or images
- Anxiety and over-attention with order and precision
- Worry that they did not perform a task correctly
- Constant dread and worry of dirt or germs
Examples of compulsions (rituals) are:
- Repetitive actions, such as touching certain objects several times, or a specific number of times
- Counting to a specific number, again and again
- Organizing or placing objects in certain ways
- Checking drawers, windows or doors repeatedly to be sure they are shut
- Personal grooming, such as excessive, repeated hand washing
Such persistent, unwelcome thoughts and rituals of obsessive-compulsive anxiety can invade a person’s life to the point that they cannot work or carry out everyday tasks and social interactions.
Denials of Long Term Disability Claims for Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD)
You may have purchased a long term disability insurance policy, or you may be covered by a group disability plan with your employer. Whether your policy is private or employer-sponsored, you expect the insurance provider to honor their obligations as stated in the policy.
Unfortunately, insurance companies routinely resort to less than honorable tactics to avoid paying long term disability benefits for OCD and other mental disorder claims. In many cases, the policy language is intentionally ambiguous and confusing, paving the way for the insurance company to reject adequate long-term coverage.
Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is likely to be loosely categorized under policy terms such as mental or anxiety conditions. Insurers typically limit such conditions to 24 months of coverage. Yet, although OCD symptoms may be classified as mental in nature, the originating illness may be physiological.
The insurance company may also require the claimant to undertake in-house psychiatric and vocational exams, while neglecting to thoroughly evaluate and consider the claimant’s own extensive medical records.
If you file a claim and it is wrongfully denied, you have the right to appeal the insurance provider’s decision. When our firm represents you on appeal, we will be fully prepared when the insurance company attempts to deny the claim again. If a satisfactory settlement cannot be achieved, litigation becomes necessary to obtain your rightful disability compensation.
The law firm of Marc Whitehead & Associates is your legal advocate who will hold your insurance company accountable. Call 1-800-562-9830 to learn more about how we may be able to help.
Is OCD a Disability under Social Security?
The Social Security disability program recognizes obsessive-compulsive disorder. OCD is listed in the SSA Listing of Impairments under Mental Disorders, listing 12.06, Anxiety-related Disorders.
Many who suffer from OCD are only able to function sporadically at work tasks. This inability to work any job consistently is a determining factor.
As a claimant, you will go through the Social Security Administration (SSA) five-step process that evaluates whether your disorder qualifies for Social Security disability insurance (SSDI).
When reviewing the case, careful attention is given to the degree of limitation inflicted on the patient’s ability to work due to the impairment.
You will need to satisfy specific criteria for obsessions and compulsions. The SSA will weigh your ongoing medical and mental health treatment as evidence of the severity of the condition.
Your medical records will need to show the following:
- You are unable to perform the job you did before, and you cannot adjust to alternative employment. Medical records must support that the OCD causes an inability to function in normal social settings, perform normal activities of daily living, and the inability to concentrate consistently on typical activities and tasks required at work.
- Your disabling condition has lasted, or is expected to persist, for a minimum of one year, or expected to result in death.
Our attorneys are board certified in Social Security law, with many years of experience handling Social Security disability claims for obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD).
We understand how the SSA evaluates claims, and know what they are looking for. We will fight to protect your rights to SSDI regardless of the level of your appeal.
Veterans Disability Claims for Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD)
Veterans who struggle with OCD often battle challenges in obtaining disability benefits through the VA, such as proving that the OCD is service connected, and proving that their disorder is sufficiently severe to award them a fair disability rating.
The VA uses a schedule for rating disabilities when evaluating the severity of a veteran’s disability. OCD is listed in the section for Mental Disorders, under Anxiety Disorders. The disability is rated according to loss of function and the effect on your capacity to earn a living.
The obsessive-compulsive disorder must be shown to have resulted from or been aggravated by active service. It is important that your diagnosis is accurate and specific for obsessive-compulsive disorder, because not every type of anxiety or mental impairment is recognized by the VA as a disabling condition.
The Importance of Your VA Disability Rating for OCD
The VA will evaluate your symptoms in conjunction with your medical history of OCD. They will rate the disability based on the level of social and occupational impairments. The disability ratings range from 0, 10, 30, 50, 70, and 100 percent. This rating is what determines the monthly disability payments.
Veterans with obsessive-compulsive disorder often have other service-connected impairments. If you have additional disabilities, either mental or physical, each will be rated separately. For veterans who have multiple disability ratings, the VA will use a formula to merge the ratings into one combined rating.
Every veteran who has been denied disability benefits for OCD, or has been assigned a disability rating that is too low, is entitled to fight back with skilled legal representation. We are Accredited Veterans Claim Attorneys who will guide you through the complex VA system and help you make the most effective argument for your appeal.
We know what the VA seeks and needs – to not only award your benefits, but also award them with the proper rating.
Take Action if Your Claim for Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) has been Denied
Help from a qualified attorney plays a key role in successfully fighting opposing lawyers, government agencies, and insurance companies associated with claims for Social Security disability, veterans’ benefits and insurance policies for mental disorders.
Call us toll free at 800-562-9830 or ask a disability lawyer to evaluate your obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) claim. We help claimants in all 50 states. In most cases, we work on a contingency fee basis. This means that no retainer is required, and there are no fees until we win.
Learn more about long term disability benefits, and explore the free disability resources offered on this site.