Multiple sclerosis is a chronic neurological disease that affects the central nervous system in ways that are often unpredictable and difficult to document through routine medical testing. For individuals with relapsing-remitting MS—the most common form of the disease—periods of relative stability can be interrupted without warning by relapses that produce debilitating symptoms lasting days or weeks. This unpredictability is one of the most challenging aspects of pursuing a Social Security Disability Insurance claim, because the Social Security Administration’s evaluation process was not designed with episodic conditions in mind.
Why MS Claims Are Challenging Despite Severe Functional Impact
Several features of MS make SSDI claims more complicated than those involving conditions with more uniform limitations:
- Imaging and clinical findings may not correlate well with functional severity on a given day
- During periods of remission, examinations may show relatively mild deficits even when the claimant is genuinely disabled over time
- The unpredictability of relapses is itself a disabling factor—employers cannot reliably accommodate workers who may miss multiple days or weeks of work without advance notice
- Symptoms such as fatigue, cognitive fog, and pain are difficult to capture objectively in medical records
The SSA evaluates MS under its neurological listings, but many claimants do not meet the listing criteria even when they are functionally unable to sustain full-time employment.
Establishing Disability Through Functional Limitations
When a listing is not met, the claim shifts to a residual functional capacity (RFC) analysis—an assessment of what the claimant can still do despite their impairments. For MS claimants, building a comprehensive RFC argument requires documentation of:
- Relapse frequency and duration drawn from treatment records, infusion logs, steroid treatment episodes, and physician notes
- Fatigue and heat sensitivity that limit the ability to sustain work activity throughout a full workday
- Cognitive symptoms such as memory problems, processing speed deficits, and difficulty concentrating documented through neuropsychological testing if available
- Mobility and coordination limitations affecting the ability to stand, walk, or use hands for fine motor tasks
- Attendance impact demonstrating that relapse frequency would cause absences exceeding what competitive employment can typically tolerate
Vocational experts at disability hearings frequently testify that even one to two unscheduled absences per month would eliminate most competitive employment opportunities. Documentation supporting that level of absence due to MS relapses can be decisive.
Strengthening Your Claim
Steps that significantly improve the strength of an MS disability claim include:
- Maintaining consistent treatment with a neurologist and ensuring all relapses are documented in the medical record
- Requesting detailed functional assessments from your treating neurologist that address specific work-related limitations
- Keeping a personal log of relapse episodes, symptoms, and their impact on daily activities
- Obtaining neuropsychological testing if cognitive symptoms are significant
- Working with an attorney to prepare for the hearing and effectively cross-examine the vocational expert
If you have MS and are struggling to maintain employment due to unpredictable relapses, PLBH can help you build the strongest possible SSDI claim. Call (800) 435-7542 to speak with a Social Security disability attorney today.