Employees across the country are increasingly applying for short and long term disability benefits related to long COVID, also known as post-COVID syndrome, which causes debilitating health problems that can last months and years after an initial COVID-19 infection.
Recent data reveals that there has been a surge in permanent disability claims for long COVID and national projections are that over 39 million Americans will be dealing with long COVID by the close of 2025 contributing to a mass disability event.
Hurdles to Obtaining Disability Benefits
Despite CDC data showing long Covid results in functional limitations qualifying as a disability effecting 1 in 10 adults, the lack of standardized diagnostic criteria results in substantial hurdles when long COVID sufferers try to obtain disability benefits:
- Symptoms can vary and be unpredictable making it hard to demonstrate consistent impairment
- Long COVID can exacerbate preexisting conditions complicating claims further
- Because of systemic barriers, the process often requires some legal teeth to get results
Claimants are well advised to hire an experienced disability attorney to help them navigate the process which often includes appealing a denied claim requiring submission of extensive medical documentation and proof of how symptoms impact daily functioning.
Long COVID from the Perspective of Sufferers
Long COVID sufferers often face significant impairment in physical, cognitive, and mental health. The most debilitating aspects are severe fatigue; brain fog affecting memory and concentration; neurological symptoms including headaches and dizziness; ongoing respiratory issues; general musculoskeletal pain and pain with exertion; and worsening of symptoms with even minor physical or mental effort. Symptoms can trigger secondary issues such as anxiety, depression, and sleep disturbances.
The debilitating effects of long COVID profoundly impact an employee’s ability to work or perform job duties. Workers often experience substantial productivity loss and impaired performance with some unable to return to work at all, whether exiting voluntarily or being terminated from their job due to performance or attendance issues.
Seek the Help of an Experienced Disability Claims Attorney
Overall, long COVID affects up to 24 percent of Americans with over 6 million facing significant activity limitations including the ability to perform the duties of their job making disability benefits essential. Although the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) recognizes long COVID as a disability eligible for benefits or accommodations in the workplace, the prevalence of long COVID is on the rise and systemic disarray in claims processing persists with ongoing pushback from employers and insurers. It is important to seek the help of an experienced employment law attorney who not only specializes in disability benefit denials, but also employment discrimination as it is not uncommon for sufferers to experience harassment or retaliation such as job termination. Contact the employment law attorneys of Alan C. Olson & Associates for help today. Visit our Getmyltdbenefit.com website for more information regarding long term disability claims.
