{"id":1630,"date":"2020-03-12T16:39:04","date_gmt":"2020-03-12T16:39:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/nolfinal.wpengine.com\/?page_id=1630"},"modified":"2023-04-25T21:59:03","modified_gmt":"2023-04-25T21:59:03","slug":"essential-tremor","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.nickortizlaw.com\/practice-areas\/long-term-disability-insurance-erisa-lawyer\/medical-conditions\/essential-tremor\/","title":{"rendered":"Essential Tremor And Long Term Disability Insurance Claims"},"content":{"rendered":"\r\n

What Is Essential Tremor?<\/h2>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Essential tremor is a disorder of the nerves that shows itself through uncontrollable shaking, or tremors, on different sides and in different parts of the body. It can affect areas such as the chin, tongue, larynx, head, arms, and hands, but rarely affects the lower body.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Essential tremor disorder is not life-threatening unless it keeps a person from being able to care for him or herself. It can make everyday activities like writing, dressing, and eating difficult, but only causes actual disability when it becomes severe.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

It is thought that essential tremor is caused by abnormal electrical brain activity that is processed through the thalamus. This structure found deep in the brain, controls and coordinates a person\u2019s muscle activity.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Half of all cases of ET are genetic. A parent with essential tremor has a 50 percent chance of passing on the responsible gene to their child, but it may not be noticeable until later in life. ET is more commonly found in the elderly, becoming more pronounced as a person ages, but it is not a natural part of aging.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

ET affects around 10 million people in the United States, making it the most common movement disorder. It can occur at any age, but most often symptoms appear for the first time during adolescence or middle age.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Disability Evaluation of ET<\/h2>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Long-term disability\u00a0insurance companies<\/a> most often refer to the Center for Disease Control (CDC) to evaluate essential tremor. The CDC defines essential tremor as a movement disorder that causes rhythmic and involuntary shaking, especially in the hands. It usually occurs by itself, without any other neurological signs or symptoms.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

In order to qualify for long-term disability<\/a>, your tremors must significantly interfere with your school, work, personal, and social activities. You must also experience at least four of the following symptoms for six months or more:<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n