Crowe & Shanahan | The Social Security Law Group

Can’t work because of a disability? Call us Toll-Free at 📞 1-877-213-7793 or Locally at 📞 314-231-6660

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Providing Compassionate And Skilled Counsel To Victims Of Mental Illness

If you or a loved one has been diagnosed with a mental illness, you may be eligible to receive benefits from the federal government. However, suffering from a mental illness will not automatically qualify you for benefits; you need an experienced attorney to lay out your options and help you pursue your claim.

Certain mental illnesses have been recognized by the Social Security Administration (SSA) in its list of impairments, which could qualify you for Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) or Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits. At Crowe & Shanahan in St. Louis, we provide personalized representation to our clients in all SSDI and SSI matters. We will take the time to get to know you and your unique needs. You will never be just another case file number.

While other Social Security Disability practices provide a nationwide practice, we pride ourselves on focusing all our efforts on residents in St. Louis, eastern Missouri and southern Illinois. To schedule a meeting with one of our St. Louis mental illness disability attorneys, contact our office online or call us at 314-231-6660 or toll free at 1-877-213-7793.

Qualifying For Benefits

Simply having a mental illness that is recognized by the SSA is not enough to result in benefits. You must have your illness diagnosed by a physician — preferably a psychiatrist or clinical psychologist — and be able to demonstrate that the illness is having an impact on your ability to perform minimum job functions.

Common diagnosed mental conditions accepted by the SSA include:

  • Depression: Mood disturbance accompanied by full or partial manic or depressive syndrome
  • Anxiety: Persistent anxiety, irrational fears, recurrent panic attacks or recurrent obsessions
  • Bipolar disorder: Periods of extreme euphoria followed by periods of extreme depression
  • Schizophrenia: Deterioration from a previous level of functioning, emotional withdrawal, delusions or hallucinations

Many personality disorders including paranoia, narcissistic, dependent, avoidant and histrionic could be brought before the SSA and entitle you to benefits. These disorders involve inflexible and maladaptive traits that cause impairment to a person’s social or occupational abilities.

Our lawyers understand how difficult it can be if you suffer from some type of mental illness. We will work with your doctor to help you build a strong claim. In many cases, we have been able to help our clients pursue low- and no-cost care so they receive the help they need.

Contact Our Legal Team At Crowe & Shanahan Today

To secure benefits, you will not have to prove that there is no hope for your illness; you must simply prove that you are incapable of working for 12 continuous months. If you are able to return to work after 12 months, you may be eligible for back pay after this closed period of disability.

To schedule an appointment with one of our experienced Social Security Disability lawyers, contact our firm online today. You may also call us at 314-231-6660 or toll free at 1-877-213-7793.