Can Fibromyalgia be a Disability?

The office received notice yesterday that we were successful obtaining Social Security Disability benefits for a wonderful hard working woman who was struck down by serious spinal issues and Fibromyalgia (FM). Very interesting case. FM is not an impairment listed by Social Security as a Disability so we located a recent court decision that provided the level of impairment we had to prove our client suffered.
We were able to show the judge that she has a medically determinable impairment of Fibromyalgia. That requires that a claimant exhibit all of the following: 1) History of widespread pain in all quadrants of the body and axial skeletal pain lasting for 3 months or more; 2) 11 of 18 fibromyalgia tender points occurring bilaterally and above and below the waste on physical exam; and 3) evidence that other conditions that could cause the same symptoms or signs are excluded.
Our client had an excellent medical history that documented all we needed to prove her case. Without the medical record it would have been virtually impossible to convince the judge that her impairment was severe.
Disclaimer: This is an example of a good result. No case is the same. While we work hard to get favorable results for deserving clients this is no guarantee of our success. You should consult with an attorney about your medical conditions, work history, and living situation for assistance with your possible claim for Disability.
Shameless plug: In Florida and Georgia? Call us for a free consultation regarding Social Security Disability, or injuries suffered as a result of another person or company's negligence. The number can be found at www.1stcoastlaw.com