For some people, the symptoms of COVID-19 last longer than the virus itself. These people are known as COVID “long haulers,” and many of them struggle to return to work months after getting sick.
Fortunately, long-term COVID-19 symptoms can be a qualifying medical condition under most disability insurance policies. Additionally, the Social Security Administration (SSA) is tracking research and considering updating its policies.
As the SSA told NPR:
“Researchers are still learning about the disease and we will continue to look at our policies as research evolves.”
The SSA also told NPR that its current disability policy rules should be sufficient for evaluating claims from COVID long-haulers.
Disability Requirements
In order to qualify for benefits, all claimants must have evidence of how their condition affects their ability to work, and a disability that lasts for a significant period of time (usually at least 12 months).
Special Guidelines and Similarities
Still, disability attorneys, advocates for people with disabilities, and COVID long-haulers themselves hope the SSA puts out special guidelines for long-term COVID-19 symptoms, just like those that exist for debilitating headaches and fibromyalgia.
Long-term COVID-19 symptoms fall under the category of post-viral syndrome, a phenomenon in which a virus leaves people with neuropsychiatric and neurocognitive complications. Experts have already compared long-term COVID-19 symptoms to another scarcely understood medical condition – chronic fatigue syndrome – as well as conditions like Lyme disease or encephalitis.
So far, more than 25 million people have been infected with the coronavirus in the United States, and researchers are working hard to determine what percentage of this population will become COVID long-haulers. Scientists are also trying to figure out how these patients can be treated. Working estimates suggest that 10% of COVID survivors may become COVID long-haulers, and treatment may or may not help people return to work.
For now, it is up to researchers, medical providers, insurance companies, and the SSA to find out what we can do for these individuals.
At Dabdoub Law Firm, we have already helped clients who suffer from COVID-19’s long-term effects recover disability benefits from their insurance companies. This is what we can do for COVID long-haulers, and we can do it for you, too.
Help from a Lawyer with Expertise in Disability Insurance
Dabdoub Law Firm was built to be a disability insurance law firm.
That focus means:
- All of our lawyers specialize in disability insurance claims.
- We have experience with every major disability insurance company.
- We have won important long-term disability lawsuits.
If you need to recover benefits for your long-term COVID-19 symptoms, our disability lawyers can help you with:
- Submitting your disability insurance claim,
- Appealing any long-term disability denial,
- Negotiating your lump-sum settlement, or
- Filing a lawsuit against your disability insurance company.
Hiring an experienced disability attorney is important, especially during the uncertainty of the coronavirus crisis. Because federal law applies to most disability insurance claims, our lawyers do not have to be located in your state to help.
Call us at (800) 969-0488 or contact us online for a free consultation with an experienced disability attorney. COVID long-haulers qualify for disability benefits, and we won’t charge you any legal fees unless we recover those benefits on your behalf.
