Disability is a broad term that encompasses a large amount of mental and physical conditions that affect a person’s ability to perform everyday tasks such as working or following their daily routine. Statistics show that 1 in every 3 people will experience some sort of disability before the age of retirement, with the majority of cases involving either total disability or some physical disability. Disability can be traced back to many sources and identifying its main causes can help prevent future cases and decrease the percentage of Canadians experiencing any form of it.
1. Back Pain
Back issues caused by injuries or diseases can be very detrimental to your ability to move around freely. People who suffer any type of back pain usually end up with some sort of disability from nerve and/or muscular damage. People who suffer from diseases like arthritis or degenerative disc disease are also very prone to experiencing disabilities because of their condition. Cases of arthritis and other musculoskeletal issues make up approximately a third of all disability cases found in Canada.
2. Physical Injuries
A lot of disability cases are caused by injuries from car accidents, sports, and many other common occurrences and can be either temporary or permanent. These injuries can have very negative effects on a person’s daily life but, sadly, most people who apply for disability claims end up being denied. Personal injury lawyer Jeff Preszler from PreszlerLaw-ns.com says that Canadians face some of the highest rejection rates in the world when submitting a long-term disability claim. Without acquiring that long-term disability claim, many Canadians have to endure pain from physical injuries without any assistance or disability benefits.
3. Cardiovascular Diseases
The percentage of people suffering from heart diseases has been rising rapidly over the years and these diseases can impact the daily lives of thousands of people. Some people even experience disabling circumstances, such as strokes. Suffering from the lingering effects of these experiences can be very long-lasting, if not permanent. Cases of cardiovascular diseases are one of the most prominent cases in the medical field and one of the leading causes of many cases of disability.
4. Mental Health Issues
Psychological illnesses can be just as debilitating as a physical disability as it greatly halts the person’s ability to function normally, both at work and home. These issues make up a large percentage of all disability cases. However, they only qualify as a social disability and not a physical one. With 1 in 5 people in Canada facing either mental illness or addiction, the Canadian government has taken these cases very seriously and provided people the ability to file for a social disability claim to assist those appropriately suffering from these illnesses. This assistance is largely required by young adults and the youth as studies show people aged 15-24 are those most likely to be suffering from mental illness in Canada.
5. Cancer
People suffering from symptoms of cancer can face dozens of issues with their daily lives, making it very difficult to accomplish many day-to-day tasks without assistance. These symptoms don’t include the effects of chemotherapy on the body and that alone causes many different issues while trying to accomplish work-related or personal tasks. With more disability claims being filed with the main cause being cancer, more and more assistance is being provided for those undergoing surgery, radiation therapy, and chemotherapy, to assist them with their journey to remission. Sadly, cancer patients tend to suffer from both mental and physical illnesses, which, in turn, renders most of them disabled.
6. Vision or Hearing Impairment
Having one of your senses underperform in comparison to your other senses can be very limiting to a lot of people in different fields. Many people who suffer from vision or hearing impairment file for disability due to their constant struggles with both their personal and professional lives. Many jobs require functioning eyesight and facing any vision impairment can quickly put a person out of a job. Hearing impairment primarily affects people’s personal lives. However, many cases also report issues with their professional lives.
7. Pregnancy
Women face a lot of physical and mental changes during pregnancy and a lot of the symptoms they suffer from can be very limiting, both at home and at work. Pregnancy can be a very disabling condition, especially during the third trimester as symptoms become more pronounced. Symptoms can persist even after birth, which is why pregnancy is one of the leading causes of disability in Canada.
Read More: What Medical Conditions Qualify for Long Term Disability Benefits?
8. Genetic Diseases
Illnesses that occur due to genetic disorders such as down syndrome and Parkinson’s disease are not as dominant in Canada as other causes of disability, but they’re still very present among those making disability claims as these cases often involve a lot of symptoms that permanently disable the affected person either socially, physically or both. Some genetic illnesses include Huntington’s disease, Thalassemia, Sickle Cell Anemia, and many others. Googling the list of genetic diseases can be a very informative read to help you understand the extent of disability that these conditions cause.
9. Autism
Studies regarding autism have been able to identify that there’s a spectrum that all cases fall upon, and this spectrum represents the severity of the condition. Studies indicate that approximately 1-20 in every 1000 newborns will have some varying levels of autism. Suffering from autism can disrupt a person’s life in many different ways, and the Canadian government is highly aware of this and prompts people suffering from autism to apply for disability benefits to help them with any struggles they may experience.
If you’re suffering from any sort of disability that limits your physical or mental capabilities, consider applying for disability benefits to help you manage any symptoms you may have and provide you with the assistance you require. Many cases that apply for long-term disability are denied, so make sure you find yourself the right lawyers to help you have your claim approved and get you the assistance you deserve. These programs can be difficult to navigate but can be significant to the disabled.
