Spinal arachnoiditis is a chronic condition that currently has no cure. If you have been diagnosed with spinal arachnoiditis, your treatment options will be limited. Due to these limited options, you could be living with a lifetime of chronic pain. If you are unable to work due to your illness, you should consider applying for long term disability to help support you financially.
What is Spinal Arachnoiditis?
Spinal arachnoiditis is the inflammation of the lining around the spinal cord. When this happens, the nerve signals that run throughout the body can start to overreact causing incredible pain. Unfortunately, spinal arachnoiditis is still being studied, and the cause is still unknown. Several triggers can be related to the onset of symptoms, including:
- The contrast dye used in CT scans and MRI’s;
- Spinal surgery;
- Spinal injections; and
- Scar tissue build up around the spinal cord.
All of these triggers are related to the treatment of another disease or injury. Therefore, It is possible to develop spinal arachnoiditis as a secondary disability as a result of your first disability.
Symptoms
Symptoms of Spinal Arachnoiditis include:
- Shooting pain;
- Muscle twitching;
- Muscle cramps or spasms;
- Numbness or tingling; and
- An odd feeling like crawling up your skin.
Treatments
Treatment options are determined based on the suspected cause. Options include oral pain mediation or injections, physical therapy, and even surgery (if surgery is not the suspected cause in the first place.)
Because there is no cure for spinal arachnoiditis, you will suffer from symptoms for the rest of your life. The symptoms and side effects of spinal arachnoiditis will make it very hard to continue to work.
Applying for Long Term Disability with Spinal Arachnoiditis
Since spinal arachnoiditis can be caused by another disability, proving your claim can be tricky. You would think that it would be even easier to get long term disability approved if you suffer from more than one disability, but the opposite is true. In fact, insurance companies have tactics they use to omit information regarding one of the other disabilities to the medical professionals reviewing your claim in the hopes they will not find a link between them. Using an experienced disability attorney will help you build a strong claim.
Ways to Build a Strong Claim
The long term disability process can be long and frustrating. Having to speak to doctors, lawyers, and insurance representatives can be tiresome, especially if you are dealing with the daily frustrations of your disability. Creating a complete administrative file will help you build your long term disability case.
Keep a Record of Everything
Keeping a journal that records everything is very important to keeping your claim on track. Your journal is your evidence that you have been tracking everything regarding your claim. When a disability claims adjuster questions you, you will be able to recall the information quickly.
You Need More Than a Doctor’s Note
Proving that you are disabled enough to receive long term disability benefits involves providing complete medical information, prognosis, and functional limitations. A note from the doctor will not be enough. Read your policy to understand how your insurance company defines “disability.”
Familiarize Yourself With Your Policy
Be sure to request a copy of your disability policy from your employer as soon as you know you will be filing a claim. Take the time to read through your entire policy to be sure you understand what your insurance company qualifies as a disability and what they do not. Make notes in your journal of timelines. This is critical. If you missed a deadline, your claim would be most likely be denied.
Consult An Attorney
The long term disability insurance company can mistreat your claim with combined disabilities. Since you are so limited by the appeals process, consider consulting a disability attorney very early on. An experienced disability attorney can help you stay on top of your deadlines, help you gather your documents, assist you during field interviews, and give you guidance that will help you get your claim approved.
The experienced disability attorneys at the Ortiz Law Firm can help you through every step of the process, from appeals to potential lawsuits. They only get paid if you win your case. You can seek help without worrying about upfront costs or unexpected bills. Our law experts will focus on your case so you can focus on your illness.
The Ortiz Law Firm offers a free consultation with no obligation to use our firm. During the call, you can ask any questions you have regarding your letter to your employer, and we will answer them. The Ortiz Law Firm has successfully represented people in disability cases across the United States. To see how we can help you win your long term disability case, call us at (888) 321- 8131 or contact us online.