Philadelphia Mental Disability Lawyer for Medical Professionals

Mental disabilities can impair a person’s ability to carry out regular daily activities in addition to maintaining a demanding career. Unfortunately, many mental disabilities still carry a significant amount of stigma with them. They can prevent sufferers from seeking the medical care they need, especially if they feel somebody may harm their professional reputation. It is crucial for doctors suffering from a mental illness to seek the necessary treatment. If your mental/nervous condition requires medical care and prevents you from performing essential duties of your specialized area of medicine, you need to speak to a mental disability attorney to discuss your claim for disability insurance benefits. The disability attorneys at Seltzer & Associates have nationwide experience in a variety of mental disability insurance claims issues and can handle your claim for you.

Head Traumas Linked to Mental Disabilities

Head injuries and traumatic brain injuries can lead to mental impairments that prevent physicians from engaging in medicine. Results from a study found that not only can a single head injury lead to mental impairments, but also those mental disabilities can manifest decades after the head trauma. Head traumas have been linked to cognitive deficits, schizophrenia, depression, and bipolar disorder. Therefore, physicians must be mindful of changes in their mental disposition, especially if they have suffered a head injury in the past. A Philadelphia mental disorder lawyer can help you with your disability insurance claim for both the physical and mental impairments of head trauma. 

Neurological Disorders May Also Produce a Need for Disability Insurance Benefits

Neurological disorders also impair a person’s mental capacity. The World Health Organization reports common occurrences worldwide of neurological disorders, including Alzheimer’s disease and other dementia, Parkinson’s disease, epilepsy, and traumatic nervous system disorders due to head trauma. The implications of these disorders are severe. Loss of memory, vision, physical coordination, and mental facility force good physicians out of the medical field. To ignore these impairments could put patients at risk. 

Medical professionals with limitations due to a traumatic head injury disorder may be unable to work in the medical profession due to severe physical and mental impairments. In fact, some cases are so severe that former doctors are unable to work in any capacity at all. If you are having difficulty performing the material duties of your specialty, a consultation with a Philadelphia mental disability attorney can help outline your disability options.

Other Mental Disabilities and Medical Professionals

While it is not an exhaustive list of mental disabilities for which you should seek the advice of a Philadelphia mental disability attorney, the following are some of the mental disorders to consider when seeking disability insurance benefits:

• Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder, also known as OCD, can be very disruptive to daily activities, let alone a demanding career. OCD can disrupt a surgeon’s ability to perform complex and time-sensitive procedures or distract a physician while examining a patient. Therapy and medication can help manage this disorder.
• Eating Disorders are mental disorders with a more obvious physical side effect. With an eating disorder, the sufferer engages in a variety of eating behaviors detrimental to physical and mental well-being. Medical personnel suffering malnourishment may suffer an impaired ability to function at the high level of executive function required in the medical profession, which can be compromised by the physical and mental ailments that accompany eating disorders. 
• Dissociative Disorders disrupt cognitive abilities and negatively impact memory, sense of identity, and behavior. Doctors need to perform at an optimal level of cognitive ability. Extensive treatment is usually required to restore the ability to function on the high level of executive function required to perform the important duties of their medical specialties and regain a fully active life.
• Dementia is a progressively disruptive mental disorder. Initially, signs of dementia may not be noticeable, but as the disease progresses, warning signs emerge such as memory loss, difficulty completing tasks, confusion, and difficulty communicating coherently. These signs can be especially devastating for medical professionals as they start to decline and have to step back from their practice.

Side Effects of Mental Disability Medication May Be Disability 

Medication can help improve certain symptoms of mental illness, but these medications can have their own disabling side effects. Medication side effects can be so disruptive that they become disabling as well. Medication to stabilize moods could cause a lack of concentration and focus, making it difficult to perform a myriad of activities. Loss of focus can preclude caring for patients, performing surgeries and consultations, and conducting research, as well as performing other material job duties. Medications may be necessary to alleviate symptoms, though they may cause issues such as severe nausea and vomiting that would prevent a doctor from getting through patient appointments or surgeries. Medications can also cause changes in appetite and sleep patterns that would physically weaken the body, making it difficult to meet the strenuous demands of a medical career. 

It may take some time to find the correct medication and dose to best treat your disability. This may change over time, which is another reason to continue regular appointments with your treating physician. Another concern with medications is drug interactions. However, careful analysis and monitoring by your own physician will help you find the correct medications to treat your conditions, symptoms, and other side effects.

Seeking Treatment for Mental Disabilities

Seeking treatment for a mental illness can feel daunting, but obtaining treatment for your disability is a crucial step in protecting your well-being and your claim for disability insurance benefits. Fortunately, there are several types of treatment available for mental disabilities including individual therapy, group therapy, and medication management. 

It can be tempting to pause treatment for a mental disability during periods of improvement. However, this can be devastating not only to your health but to your disability claim. Not only does suspending treatment disrupt progress made with respect to your health, but the condition can also deteriorate. Moreover, disability insurance companies can use your lack of regular, appropriate treatment against you. Maintaining treatment and recording proof of disability is key for maintaining your monthly insurance benefits. Do not let the stigma of mental disability prevent you from seeking treatment. Your mental disability attorney can help you present your evidence of ongoing illness and treatment to your disability insurance company to protect your benefits.

Insurance Limitations for Mental Disabilities

Insurance companies may limit coverage for certain physical or mental disabilities, limiting the amount of money payable to the insured claimant. A mental disability attorney can help you overcome denials or terminations by the insurance company, as well as demonstrate why your mental disability warrants continued benefits under your policy. Let a Philadelphia mental disability lawyer fight for your disability insurance benefits and provide you with the financial security you planned and paid for with your policy.

Contact a Philadelphia Mental Disability Lawyer

Mental disabilities impact professionals in many ways. Do not let the financial losses due to mental disability become an added consequence. Medical professionals suffering from a mental disability, preventing them from working should contact a Philadelphia mental disability lawyer at Seltzer & Associates to discuss securing your disability insurance benefits.