How to Win Disability Benefits with a Fibromyalgia Diagnosis

If you have been diagnosed with fibromyalgia and it’s preventing you from working in any capacity, you may be wondering if you qualify for Social Security Disability benefits. My name is Kaitlin Wildoner and I’m an attorney who helps disabled clients obtain their disability benefits as quickly as possible, so they can focus on getting better. Today we’re going to talk about how to win Social Security disability benefits with a fibromyalgia diagnosis. 

Number one, it’s important to remember that just having a diagnosis does not automatically equate to a finding of disability. You will need to have medical evidence that backs that diagnosis up. Also, not everyone with the same diagnosis has the same limitations. 

Number two, Social Security will consider a fibromyalgia diagnosis under two different sets of criteria: they use the 1990 American College of Rheumatology Criteria for Classification of Fibromyalgia, or they might use the 2010 American College of Rheumatology Preliminary Diagnostic Criteria.

Number three, with a fibromyalgia diagnosis, the longitudinal record is critical as the symptoms of fibromyalgia tend to wax and wane or come and go. So, it’s important that Social Security can see over the course of months and even years what that fibromyalgia diagnosis looks like for you and your limitations.

Number four, keeping a journal that outlines your fibromyalgia flare-ups and symptoms can be helpful to not only help you remember how long they last, what typically precedes the flare up, what the flare-up is involved, but it can also be very helpful to your treating doctors to better understand your condition, and therefore to better treat you and keep better records. 

Disability Lawyer for Fibromyalgia

Thanks for watching, if you’re disabled and unable to work, click the scheduling link here, or give us a call directly to see what I can do to help you.