What You Need To Know About A.L.S. And Your Claim For Long Term Disability Benefits
You may have purchased a long term disability policy through your employer, or on your own, to provide you and your family peace of mind if you became disabled. Unfortunately, long term disability carriers don=t always make it easy for those with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) to get the disability benefits they deserve.
ALS has gotten a lot of news lately because of the ALS ice bucket challenge.
Recent Epidemiological Studies About A.L.S.
Many Americans connect ALS with athletes and sports because Lou Gehrig, the great Yankees first baseman, died of ALS. A recent epidemiological study revealed that physical activity, work, sports or exercise did not increase a person’s risk of developing ALS. In fact, the study showed that exercise appeared to offer some protection against the disease.
One interesting result of the study showed that a history of multiple hits to the head increased the risk of developing ALS.
Research revealed that men and women who had had at least two concussions, or other serious head injuries, were much more likely than other people to develop ALS. This finding is consistent with the results of a study in the European Journal of Epidemiology.
Getting The Benefits You Deserve as a Result of ALS
ALS is a progressive and fatal neurodegenerative disease. If you’ve been diagnosed with ALS, it’s time to make the difficult decision to apply for disability benefits. Before you do so, you should take the following steps:
1. Obtain your medical records and review them, making sure that there is an objective basis for the diagnosis;
2. Review what your physicians have had to say about the basis of your restrictions and limitations and any objective basis of those restrictions and limitations; and
3. Make sure that your doctor supports your claim.
Before you make a mistake that can destroy your claim, contact ALS Disability attorney Nancy Cavey, who can help you get the disability benefits you and your family deserve.
Article Cites to New York Times of Tuesday, September 9, 2014, Well Section.