Do I Qualify for Disability Benefits if I Have Fibromyalgia?

Fibromyalgia is estimated to affect roughly two percent of all Canadians, yet it’s a disease that’s widely misunderstood and difficult to diagnose. This can make it hard for sufferers to get the treatment they need and the public benefits that may make their lives easier.

Are you suffering from fibromyalgia and struggling to obtain disability benefits in British Columbia? Contact the Vancouver disability lawyers at Warnett Hallen LLP today. We have extensive experience helping B.C. residents seek their rightful disability benefits. Learn more by calling our office in Vancouver, using our live chat service, or visiting our contact page.

What is Fibromyalgia?

While the exact causes of fibromyalgia are unknown, many doctors believe it has something to do with patients’ central nervous systems. Regardless of the cause, some fibromyalgia symptoms include chronic pain all over the body, persistent fatigue, difficulty sleeping, memory and mood disorders, and gastrointestinal problems. Because there’s no known cause for fibromyalgia, it can be challenging to diagnose.

Is Fibromyalgia a Recognized Disability in Canada?

Yes, fibromyalgia is a recognized disability in Canada. What makes it hard to obtain disability benefits for fibromyalgia has more to do with how difficult it is to diagnose the illness and demonstrate how the disease limits your ability to work. To obtain disability benefits for fibromyalgia, you’ll need proof of your condition as well as documentation showing that the symptoms limit your ability to work.

Is Fibromyalgia Considered a Long-term Disability?

Patients with fibromyalgia may experience significant pain throughout their body for hours or even days at a time. Though the intensity of the pain may come and go over time, the unpredictability of symptoms makes it challenging to work and take part in other activities.

Other symptoms of fibromyalgia, such as difficulty sleeping, mood disorders, chronic fatigue, and intestinal distress, can also affect someone’s ability to work. Because of these factors, fibromyalgia can be considered a long-term disability, provided you get the right supporting evidence and documentation.

How to Win a Fibromyalgia Case

Fibromyalgia cases are notoriously difficult to win, but there are a few things you can do to increase your chances of a successful application:

• Get help from an experienced long-term disability lawyer. Your claim can suffer if you make errors in the application process or accept fibromyalgia treatments that fall outside the scope of currently acceptable standards.
• Follow your doctor’s treatment plans exactly as prescribed. Straying from the plan can affect your claim.
• Keep a diary outlining how your symptoms affect your day-to-day life. Don’t underestimate the psychological effects of your illness in your entries, as the mental effects are some of the most difficult to prove in a fibromyalgia disability claim.
• Be specific about how your symptoms impact your ability to work. If your job requires you to stand most of the day but your symptoms cause full-body pain and weakness, note it down.

How Can Warnett Hallen LLP Help Me?

Don’t leave yourself at the mercy of chance when it comes to obtaining disability benefits for fibromyalgia. The chronic pain lawyers in Vancouver at Warnett Hallen LLP can help you apply for disability benefits from start to finish. If you’ve already been denied fibromyalgia disability benefits, our legal team can also prepare your claim for an appeal.

Don’t wait another moment to get a qualified disability lawyer from Warnett Hallen LLP on your case. Call or contact us today for a free consultation.