Erie
Personality Disorder Disability Lawyer

On This Page

1. How Can an Erie, PA, Disability Lawyer Help Your Personality Disorder Claim?
2. When Does a Personality Disorder Become a Disability?
3. What Evidence Do You Need at Each Stage of an Erie, PA, Disability Claim?
4. Don’t Navigate Your Erie, PA, Personality Disorder Disability Claim Alone – Our Attorneys Can Help – Call Today

REVIEWED BY

C. William Kenny

January 01, 2024

Board certified by National Board of Trial Advocacy

Although the term “disability” may bring physical limitations to mind, it can also refer to mental health conditions that interfere with everyday life. If you have an official personality disorder diagnosis, the Social Security Administration (SSA) might consider you disabled and eligible for Social Security Disability (SSD) benefits.  

If your symptoms disrupt your life to the point that you can’t work, our Erie personality disorder disability lawyers can go over your eligibility for benefits. We can complete and file your initial disability claim and handle any appeal. Call us today for a free consultation to learn how our Erie Social Security Disability lawyers can manage your case.

How Can an Erie, PA, Disability Lawyer Help Your Personality Disorder Claim?

Our attorneys can make it easier to understand the application and the steps to take when filing a claim for benefits or appealing a denied initial claim. Personality disorders can make managing stress or staying on task harder—but not worry. We can help with that.  

We can coach you through the process, take the time to answer your questions, and adapt our communication style to ensure you get the information you need.

In addition, we can:

• Explain the differences between Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) and Supplemental Security Income (SSI).
• Determine the evidence you must prove your condition for your disability claim.
• Make sure Disability Determination Services can access your records and contact information related to your claim.
• Complete and file the completed application.
• Remain available for any questions while we await a decision from SSA and Disability Determination Services.
• Go over the SSA’s reasoning if it sends you a claim denial.
• Request a reconsideration, Administrative Law Judge hearing, and/or Appeals Council review as part of the appeals process.
• Work to obtain back pay or retroactive benefits if applicable.

Your consultation with Berger and Green is free and we work on a contingency basis.  This means you do not owe us a fee unless you are awarded benefits. 

We’re on Your Side

Our personality disorder attorneys create a tailored plan for representing your Erie disability claim and supporting you while you manage your condition. We believe the latter detail is crucial—if you need disability benefits because of your personality disorder, that means you’re already struggling because of your symptoms. You need and deserve legal representation that is aware of and adapts to those challenges.

Our client reviews show that we stay connected with you as an individual. As one past client said, “They were just very compassionate and understanding, and they let me speak.” Our team can extend the same compassion and understanding to you with your personality disorder.

When Does a Personality Disorder Become a Disability?

The Mayo Clinic highlights several types of mental health conditions as personality disorders. That includes disorders that cause:

• Suspicion of lack of interest in others, including paranoid, schizoid, and schizotypal personality disorders.
• Overly emotional thinking or unpredictable behavior, including borderline, histrionic, antisocial, and narcissistic personality disorders.
• Anxious thinking or behavior, including avoidant, dependent, and obsessive-compulsive personality disorders. 

When Should You Consider Applying for Benefits?

Personality disorders become disabilities when they make it so you can’t:

• Engage in substantial gainful activity (SGA)
• Work at a job you held before
• Transfer to another job
• Work for at least a year

You don’t have to miss a year of work before applying. If you and your doctor suspect your personality disorder symptoms will leave you unable to work for the foreseeable future, talk to our Erie disability attorneys. 

When Can You Get Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI)?

On top of meeting the medical qualifications for your disorder, you need to meet the qualifications for the specific type of benefits you’re applying for. For SSDI, you need to have worked enough to earn credits through Social Security. Our Erie Social Security Disability Insurance lawyers can review your work history for these benefits. 

When Can You Get Supplemental Security Income (SSI)?

For SSI, you need to have income and assets under the limit for the year you apply. Our Erie Supplemental Security Income lawyers can review your financial situation and recognize what to include as part of your income and assets. Don’t assume you don’t qualify—check with us first. 

What Evidence Do You Need at Each Stage of an Erie, PA, Disability Claim?

Only the Social Security Administration can decide if your personality disorder is so severe you qualify for benefits.  To understand how this decision is made, the SSA shares information about how it makes decisions and publishes qualifying criteria in its Blue Book Listing of Impairments. 

You must have medical evidence showing a pattern of at least one of the following:

• Distrusting or being suspicious of others
• Being detached from social relationships
• Disregarding or violating others’ rights
• Lacking stable interpersonal relationships
• Displaying excessive emotion or attention-seeking behavior
• Feeling inadequate
• Needing to be taken care of excessively
• Being preoccupied with order or perfection
• Having aggressive outbursts

On top of having at least one of the above, you must show you have trouble:

• Understanding, recalling, or applying information
• Interacting with others
• Concentrating, persisting in tasks, or staying on pace
• Adapting to situations or managing yourself

You must have either an extreme limitation in one of the above or at least a marked limitation in two. Our personality disorder attorneys can examine your Erie case to see if you meet these requirements. 

Medical Evidence

Your doctor will play an important role in your disability claim. They can help you gather the medical records you must prove you are disabled. That includes:

• Medical history
• Timeline of your diagnosis
• Prescription medication
• Doctor’s notes
• Treatment plans

Appeal Evidence

If SSA denies your claim, we can submit additional evidence to address any of the issues that led to the denial. 

The SSA will let you know if it denies your application based on technical or medical evidence. The former refers to issues with your eligibility for benefits, like not having enough work credits for SSDI or exceeding the income limits for SSI. The latter refers to issues with proof of your personality disorder. 

Don’t Navigate Your Erie, PA, Personality Disorder Disability Claim Alone – Our Attorneys Can Help – Call Today

If your mental health condition makes it challenging to work, Berger and Green’s Erie personality disorder disability attorneys can advocate for you to receive Social Security Disability benefits that can help you pay your bills.

We will draw from 40 years of experience to seek the most favorable outcome for your situation. We accept cases on contingency, so you won’t have to pay us unless you receive benefits. Contact us today for a free consultation.