Case Strategy for Disability Claims
Based on Closed Head Injuries

As with any social security disability claim, you must be able to prove to the Administrative Law Judge that you are unable to perform simple, unskilled, entry-level types of jobs due to your medical or mental condition. The same holds true for claims for Social Security Disability based on closed head injuries. You must be able to prove that symptoms arising from the closed head injury or the medication side effects will completely prevent you from working a regular job.

Most closed head injuries are caused by a fall or from some type of accident. The person with a closed head injury may not look like they are injured, but their ability to function properly may be severely compromised despite what is seen by the naked eye. Physical and psychological conditions can arise from closed head injuries and can thus prevent the victim from being able to work a full time job, even if the job is simple.

Many people with closed head injury may report having the following symptoms:

• fatigue
• a decline in cognitive function
• possible seizures
• headaches that can escalate to full-blown migraine headaches
• blurred vision
• a host of other symptoms that are also possible as a result of suffering a closed head injury

This also is not mentioning the possible side effects from the medications taken to treat the effects of a closed head injury.

When you are trying to obtain SSDI benefits due to a closed head injury, you need to be sure to argue the fact that you can not physically or mentally perform the tasks of even simple, entry-level type jobs. The judge will often call in a vocational specialist who will either prove that you are unable to perform these types of jobs or who will disprove your allegations that you cannot perform adequately at a regular job. Your job and your attorney’s job are to prove that you are, due to your closed head injury, unable to perform the tasks of a job in the national economy.