List Of Compassionate Allowances Expands

As we have previously written on this blog, applying for Social Security Disability benefits can be a lengthy and laborious process. Claims need to be supported by thorough documentation, including detailed medical records and work history. Many claims are rejected the first time they are filed, which is one reason why it can be so helpful to work with an attorney from the start of the process.

There is one notable exception to the “rule” that SSD applications generally take a long time. The Social Security Administration keeps a list of medical conditions that are considered so serious that confirmed diagnosis alone is often enough to fast-track the process and gain approval. This is known as the Compassionate Allowances list, and it currently contains 242 conditions.

Recently, the SSA announced the addition of five new conditions (which brought the list to its current total of 242). These new additions, which will be unfamiliar to most people, include:

• Desmoplastic Small Round Cell Tumors

• GM1 Gangliosidosis (both Juvenile and Infantile forms)

• Secondary Adenocarcinoma of the Brain

• Nicolaides-Baraister Syndrome

• Rubinstein-Tybai Syndrome

In addition to being debilitating, many of the conditions on the Compassionate Allowances list are fatal or likely to be fatal. For this reason, applicants cannot afford to lose any time stuck in the bureaucracy of the system. Thankfully, this expeditated process is a way through the red tape.

Whether or not you have a disabling condition on the CA list, it is important to file the most thorough and accurate application that you can, preferably the first time you file. Working with an experienced Social Security Disability attorney can make the application process much easier and can help you submit the strongest possible argument for why you deserve benefits.