Lupus

Lupus is a chronic autoimmune disease in which one’s own immune system causes inflammation that can affect many different body systems, including musculoskeletal, neurological, brain, cardiovascular, skin, endocrine, and respiratory body systems. People suffering from severe cases of lupus often have debilitating flares, which cause them to be incapacitated and unable to complete even sedentary work. According to the Mayo Clinic, the most commonly reported symptoms of lupus are as follows, though some people with lupus will have symptoms that primarily affect only one or two body systems:

– Persistent fatigue and/or fever
– Joint and muscle pain
– Chest pain, shortness of breath, and other cardiovascular symptoms
– Headaches, difficulty concentrating, and short- and long-term memory loss
– Photosensitivity in the form of skin lesions upon exposure to the sun
– Butterfly-shaped rash on cheeks and nose
Raynaud’s phenomenon

Lupus can also cause the development of wide-ranging urgent conditions, including but not limited to avascular necrosis, kidney failure, strokes, seizures, hallucinations, anemia, blood clots, pleurisy, and heart attacks, not to mention cardiovascular disease and an increased susceptibility to pneumonia.

If you have been diagnosed with lupus and are continuing to experience severe symptoms that preclude your ability to work on a full-time basis in spite of following your physicians’s prescribed treatment plan, you are likely eligible for Social Security disability benefits, either through Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) or Supplemental Security Income (SSI). Please contact Viner Disability Law to discuss your potential or current claim for disability benefits.