How to Get Disability Benefits for Bipolar Disorder Without a Lawyer

Yes, it is true that you can get disability benefits for bipolar disorder without a lawyer. Thousands of people apply for a receive disability benefits without using a lawyer. Just follow the information in this blog to learn how.

What is Bipolar Disorder Disability

Bipolar disorder, if bad enough, is considered a disability. Especially if the person cant work or hold down a job because of the bipolar disorder.

If a person’s bipolar disorder is persistent and interferes with their entire ability to function in the job environment, the person may have the right to receive SSA disability benefits.

This is called bipolar disability. If you are unable to work because of Bipolar disorder, or any other condition, Social Security Disability Insurance can provide important benefits.

If you have not seen a specialist, Social Security can interpret this to mean your health condition is not as severe.

If you have a bipolar diagnosis or other mental disorders, then you can qualify for disability benefits.

If your mental health is bad enough you can get the disability benefits that you deserve.

Decision-makers in Social Security could be wrong about presenting, and they would consider an individual who is eligible for benefits to be in that state–and they would deny them.

You might think that your chances of winning benefits are lost with a denial, but the majority of initial applications for Social Security disability benefits are denied on the first try.

Also, the majority of approved disability benefits are won on appeal. In this blog post, you will learn how to get long term disability benefits for the bipolar disorder without using a disability lawyer.

The best way to go through the disability process is by doing it yourself.

What You Will Need

Copies of Your Medical Records With Your Bipolar Disorder Diagnosis
Doctors Note With Your Bipolar Disorder Diagnosis and Why You Cant Work. (Most Doctors Will Write You a Diagnosis Note).
Copies of Your Medical Records of Any Hospital Stays Due to Your Bipolar Disorder Diagnosis
Copies of Your Medical Records of Any Mental Institutions Due to Your Bipolar Disorder.
Copies of any Medical Records Related to Any Suicide Attempts
Drivers License
Birth Certificate
Social Security Card

The Disability Benefits for Bipolar Disorder Process

Once you have all of the above documentation in order, you will need to make a phone call to your local social security office.

Tell them that you would like to set up a disability benefits interview to be considered for disability for bipolar disorder.

At that time, they will give you a date for your interview.

It could take one week, a month or more before you get your interview. Just be patient and make sure that you have all of your documentation in order so that when you go to your interview, you will have everything that you need.

The Disability Benefits Interview

Now it is time for your interview. You will go to the social security office and they will tell you where to go.

Once you sit down in front of the person doing the interview, they already have some of your information pulled up. Such as work history etc.

You can inform the interviewer that you have all of the documentation related to your bipolar disorder diagnosis (always make copies).

Hand over the documents and then the interview will begin. In the interview you will be asked a bunch of questions related to work history, your bipolar disorder diagnosis, hospital stays and mental institution stays.

After the interview is over, the interviewer will inform you that they will call you when a decision has been made on your case.

This can take a while to receive that phone call. Just be patience and it will happen.

The Phone Call

Keep in mind that most people are denied disability benefits for bipolar disorder the first time you apply for the benefits.

Once you get the call, you will be informed if you are approved or not approved for disability benefits for bipolar disorder.

If your approved, just follow the instructions from the person on the phone. It can take anywhere between 3 to 6 months to get your first check if you are approved.

The Denial and the Appeal

Once you have been told that you are denied on your disability benefits claim, ask them for the information to appeal the decision.

Once you are given the appeal information, follow the instructions to start the appeal process.

This can take anywhere between 6 months to a year before your appeal. This is good though because if you win on appeal, you will get back pay from all the way back to when you were first denied.

Back pay can be anywhere between $10,000 to $20,000 and even more. The amount is determined by how long it is between your appeal approval and when you were first denied.

Disability Benefits Appeal Court

I will tell you how my story went first. I walked in and sat down. The only other person in there was the state representative.

Her job was to find ways that I could work. Her job was also to convince the judge why I didn’t need disability.

In other words, she was supposed to be against me. Next the judge walks in and sits down. He then starts asking the state rep questions about bipolar diagnosis, hospital stays work history, how did my bipolar affect my work, disability and disability percentages.

Then he asks the 2 big questions, can he work due to his bipolar disorder? and, If he cannot work due to his bipolar disorder, then what percentage is his disability.

To my astonishment, the state rep who is supposed to be against me started crying while looking at my medical records and work history.

While she was still crying, she told the judge no he cant work due to his bipolar disorder and he is 100% disabled. I was shocked.

The judge then looked at me and started having a very compassionate conversation with me about my bipolar disorder and not being able to work.

This conversation lasted about 5 minutes. He then said I am approving your disability at 100% disabled and I am ordering backpay to be paid from the time that you first applied. I literally started crying.

So once he made his decision, he informed me that it would take anywhere between 3 to 6 months to get my first check and my backpay check.

I said yes sir and then the disability appeals court was over.

Getting My First Disability Checks

So I went home and sure enough exactly 3 months later I got a backpay check for $15,000 dollars and a disability check for $1,549.

I would have gotten 2,000 dollars a month but I have children and their payments came off the top of my check.

Conclusion

So, when you go to your disability benefits appeal court hearing, go ahead and bring all of your documents.

The judge and the state rep will have all your records but to be safe bring your own copies of your medical records.

Just like my experience, you will sit in court and listen to the judge ask the state rep questions about if you can work and if you cannot work.

Then the state rep will tell the judge what she thinks based off of your records and work history.

The judge will then ask you a few simple questions and then make his ruling. A lot, if not most, people get approved on the appeal process.

The best part of the appeal process is that you get backpay and it is generally a lot of money.

Lastly, use these steps and start the process to get disability benefits for bipolar disorder without using a lawyer.

More Information Related to Getting Disability Benefits for Bipolar Disorder Without Using a Lawyer Below.

Disability Help – How to File For Disability Benefits for Bipolar Disorder