Yes, dysautomia can be disabling. If you are dealing with dysautonomia and struggling with dizziness, fatigue, or difficulty remaining upright, the issue is usually not just the diagnosis — it is whether your symptoms prevent you from working consistently on a full-time basis.
Dysautonomia claims are often challenging because symptoms can fluctuate, are not always visible, and may not be fully captured through standard testing. Insurers frequently argue that a claimant can perform sedentary work, without accounting for the difficulty of maintaining posture, concentration, or reliability throughout the day.
This page explains when dysautonomia can qualify for long term disability benefits, what evidence matters most, and why these claims are often denied.
Dysautonomia claims are frequently denied or terminated, even when symptoms are significant. This is because insurers often focus on isolated findings rather than how symptoms affect day-to-day functioning.
Common denial arguments include:
These arguments often overlook the impact of fatigue, orthostatic intolerance, and the inability to sustain consistent work activity.
Dysautonomia is a term that refers to a group of disorders characterized by dysfunction of the autonomic nervous system, which controls automatic bodily functions such as heart rate, blood pressure, digestion, and temperature regulation. There are various conditions and factors that can lead to or be associated with dysautonomia, including:
Dysautonomia can manifest in different ways and with varying severity depending on the underlying cause. Additionally, some cases of dysautonomia may not have a known cause and are classified as idiopathic.
Regardless of cause, the impact of dysautonomia on daily life can be profound and may lead to long term disability. It can result in significant limitations in both physical and cognitive functioning. To evaluate the long term disability caused by dysautonomia effectively, it’s crucial to consider the overall impact, including the frequency and severity of the symptoms.
Dysautonomia results in an array of potentially disabling symptoms, both physical and cognitive. During symptom flare-ups or episodes of autonomic dysfunction, these symptoms can be especially severe.
In a disability claim, the key issue is not just which symptoms you experience, but how those symptoms affect your ability to function consistently in a work setting. Many individuals with dysautonomia can perform activities briefly but cannot sustain them throughout a full workday.
Disabling physical symptoms of dysautonomia may include:
Disabling cognitive and emotional symptoms of dysautonomia may include:
Yes, it is possible to receive long term disability benefits for dysautonomia. However, whether you are eligible for benefits will depend on the terms of your insurance policy and the nature of your symptoms.
Disability insurance policies have their own definitions for what constitutes a disability. It’s essential to review your disability insurance policy to understand the specific terms and conditions for making a claim. Your policy will outline the criteria you must meet for disability, waiting periods, and other requirements.
The severity of your dysautonomia symptoms will also play a crucial role in determining your eligibility for benefits. Your insurer will generally assess how your dysautonomia impacts your functioning in relation to work-related tasks. In order to approve your claim, your insurer will require you to comprehensively demonstrate how your dysautonomia interferes with your ability to work.
This requirement can be challenging if you have dysautonomia. Dysautonomia symptoms often fluctuate and vary widely among individuals, making it hard to document and establish consistent limitations for work-related tasks. Many of these symptoms are also not visible, and there are few clear-cut, objective tests that definitively confirm dysautonomia. These factors can lead to skepticism from your insurer and difficulties in convincing them of the disabling nature of your condition.
Below we’ll explain what evidence you may submit to support your dysautonomia long term disability claim.
Because dysautonomia symptoms can fluctuate and are not always visible, insurers often look for consistency across multiple types of evidence. The specific medical evidence for dysautonomia can also vary depending on the type and suspected underlying causes.
Here are some examples of medical and vocational evidence you may use to support your dysautonomia long term disability claim:
When seeking disability benefits for dysautonomia, it’s important to consult with an ERISA attorney who can help you compile the appropriate medical and vocational evidence. The strength of your claim largely depends on the quality and comprehensiveness of the medical and vocational evidence you present to demonstrate the disabling nature of your dysautonomia.
Here is an example of a client we helped secure long term disability for dysautonomia:
Our client “Jane,” a 40-year-old marketing manager, was a high-achiever known for her dedication. However, her life took an unexpected turn when she began experiencing dysautonomia. The symptoms began with occasional dizziness and fatigue, but over time, her condition worsened, affecting her ability to work effectively. Despite actively seeking treatment, Jane’s healthcare providers had not yet pinpointed a cause for her dysautonomia or found a treatment to manage her symptoms effectively. Her employers were supportive but couldn’t accommodate her for long.
Facing the reality that she could no longer work, Jane decided to explore a long term disability claim. She was very nervous about the prospect of her claim being denied, so she hired Riemer Hess to help her through the process.
Riemer Hess worked to gather extensive medical records on Jane’s behalf, including her doctor’s treatment notes, imaging studies, and blood test results. Understanding that her insurer would require more objective evidence of her dysautonomia, Riemer Hess referred Jane to undergo both a Tilt Table Test and a CPET evaluation. These test results provided objective and substantial evidence of the severity of her condition and its impact on her ability to work.
Riemer Hess ensured all documents were submitted correctly and on time, coordinating with Jane’s providers to obtain additional statements supporting her claim. When the insurer wanted to interview Jane by phone, our attorneys prepared her for the call and attended the call with her. Riemer Hess also helped answer the insurer’s questions about the ongoing treatment plan and prognosis.
Jane’s long term disability claim was approved, providing the financial stability she needed to cope with her condition. Jane was relieved to be receiving benefits and retained Riemer Hess to monitor her claim going forward.
Can I qualify for disability if my symptoms come and go?
Yes. The key issue is whether you can work consistently, not whether you have occasional good days.
Why does my insurer say I can do sedentary work?
Sedentary work still requires sustained sitting and concentration, which may be limited by dysautonomia.
Do I need specific testing to qualify?
Testing can help, but claims are evaluated based on the total evidence, including how symptoms affect your ability to function.
You may want to speak with a lawyer if your symptoms are affecting your ability to work, your claim has been denied, or your insurer is questioning the severity or consistency of your condition.
An experienced long term disability attorney can maximize your chances of getting your dysautonomia claim approved. At Riemer Hess, we’ve helped thousands of our clients secure their long term disability benefits, including many for conditions that cause dysautonomia. We understand what evidence your insurer will require to approve your claim and how to overcome the challenges inherent to disability claims for complex conditions like dysautonomia.