Fibromyalgia can make it impossible to maintain full-time employment. When symptoms reach that level of severity, Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) or Supplemental Security Income benefits may be available. If you are unable to work because you suffer from this condition, you may be eligible for Michigan Social Security Disability for fibromyalgia. Our attorneys at Thurswell Law could help you understand your rights and determine whether you have a case.
Unlike claims for conditions with defined listings in the Social Security Administration’s (SSA) Blue Book, fibromyalgia cases require precise documentation to succeed. A Social Security Disability lawyer from our firm could assess your records, identify the additional documentation you need, and guide you through the SSDI application process and, if necessary, a hearing.
How Fibromyalgia Symptoms Affect Your Claim
While fibromyalgia affects people differently, its core characteristics are consistent enough that the SSA has developed specific criteria for evaluating claims. Common fibromyalgia symptoms that SSDI claimants report include:
- Widespread body pain that lasts for three or more months
- Persistent fatigue that limits the ability to sustain physical or mental activity
- Sleep disturbances that leave individuals feeling unrefreshed regardless of how long they rest
- Cognitive difficulties (also known as fibro fog) that affect concentration and memory
- Co-occurring conditions that include anxiety, depression, or irritable bowel syndrome
Understanding how your condition aligns with those criteria is an important part of building a strong case.
Because these symptoms do not appear on imaging or standard lab tests, thorough documentation from a treating physician is essential. Our Michigan SSDI lawyers could work with your medical providers to ensure your records accurately reflect the severity and consistency of your fibromyalgia.
How Does the SSA Evaluate Fibromyalgia Claims?
The SSA evaluates fibromyalgia claims under Social Security Ruling 12-2p, which establishes the standards for recognizing fibromyalgia as a medically determinable impairment. To meet those standards, your medical records must document one of two sets of criteria the American College of Rheumatology has established.
To establish fibromyalgia as a medically determinable impairment, your records must show a history of widespread pain lasting at least three months. They must also document either positive tender points that physical examination confirms or repeated manifestations of six or more fibromyalgia symptoms. The evidence must come from a licensed physician, and general treatment notes alone are not sufficient. Our Michigan legal team could make sure the records documenting your fibromyalgia symptoms meet SSA standards and identify any gaps that could affect the outcome of your SSDI claim.
Why Does the SSA Often Deny Fibromyalgia Claims?
Michigan residents with fibromyalgia frequently receive denials of their SSDI claims because the condition does not produce objective findings on imaging or standard laboratory tests. Other common reasons the SSA denies these claims include:
- Insufficient medical evidence
- Inconsistent treatment records
- No documentation showing how symptoms limit daily functioning
- No formal assessment of residual functional capacity from a treating physician
- No clinical findings to support self-reported symptoms
- Gaps in treatment suggesting the condition is not as severe as the applicant claims
Our lawyers could work with your treating physicians to build the medical record your claim requires before you submit it.
Call Our Michigan SSDI Attorneys About Your Fibromyalgia Claim
Winning an SSDI claim for fibromyalgia requires thorough medical documentation and a clear understanding of how the SSA evaluates functional limitations. If this condition is preventing you from working, our lawyers could advise you about applying for Michigan Social Security Disability for fibromyalgia.
Experience gets results, and our attorneys at Thurswell Law have been fighting for people with disabilities since 1968. Contact our firm today to discuss your situation.
N/a
