Can I get disability benefits for TBI?

Yes, you can get disability benefits for a traumatic brain injury (TBI) if your symptoms prevent you from working for at least 12 months, or meet specific fast-track criteria.

The Social Security Administration (SSA) evaluates TBI under its medical guide. To automatically qualify under the TBI listing for the SSA, your medical records must show that your symptoms last for at least three consecutive months post-injury and fit one of these categories:

Motor function impairment: Extreme difficulty balancing, standing up from a seated position, or using at least two extremities (arms or legs).

Combined physical and mental limitation: Marked limitations in physical functioning plus a marked limitation in at least one mental area, such as remembering information, interacting with others, concentrating, or managing yourself.

If your injury does not match the exact listing, you can still qualify.

The SSA checks your Residual Functional Capacity (RFC) to see what types of work you can still do despite your memory loss, fatigue, or cognitive changes.

If your combined physical and mental limits mean no full-time job exists for you, you can win benefits through a medical-vocational allowance.

If you are a veteran, you can also file for disability compensation through the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). The VA rates TBI based on subjective and objective dysfunction in three main areas: cognitive impairment, emotional impairment, and physical impairment.