Cerebrovascular Accident & SSD

According to the Merck Manual, a stroke is called a cerebrovascular disorder because it affects the brain (cerebro-) and the blood vessels (vascular). A stroke or cerebrovascular accident (“CVA”) occurs when blood stops flowing to the brain causing permanent brain damage from cells dying. Stroke symptoms include numbness or weakness to one side of the body, confusion, difficulty speaking, vision loss, imbalance, and headache.

I represent a 52 year old postmaster who had to stop working because of a CVA. The claimant’s application for Social Security Disability (“SSD”) benefits was approved without a hearing. An Attorney Advisor approved my request today for a fully favorable decision on-the-record (“OTR”) based on meeting listing 12.02.

Hospital records and diagnostic testing established that the claimant had suffered a stroke. Clinical records revealed the claimant lost cognitive ability, memory, and impulse control, while experiencing mood disturbance, left sided weakness, slurred speech, and personality change. I was able to obtain reports from the claimant’s neuropsychologist that explained why the claimant’s symptoms resulted in marked functional mental limitations.

Despite the medical records supporting the claimant’s entitlement to SSD benefits, the State agency had originally denied the application based upon the opinion of a State agency doctor, who never examined the claimant. My OTR cited the case law holding that where psychological impairments are involved, the opinion of a medical professional who has examined the claimant face-to-face is more reliable than that of a nonexamining physician. The rationale is that a treating psychiatrist's opinion, based on medical evidence derived from face to face visits, is “inherently more reliable than an opinion based on a cold record because observation of the patient is critical to understanding the subjective nature of the patient's disease and in making a reasoned diagnosis.”

The Attorney Advisor agreed with my criticism of the of State agency doctor’s opinion, and gave it little weight. Being able to quote case law directly on point regarding the reliability of the State agency doctor’s opinion certainly elevated the weight of the treating doctor’s opinion, and perhaps was the reason why the claimant was able to avoid the protracted wait for a hearing.