James McAllen is a 60-year-old man, who was employed a sales engineer in automation machine manufacturing in 2003. Prior to that he was a sales engineer in machinery sales in 2002. Mr. McAllen also worked as an account executive for a personnel agency from 1999 to 2001 and was employed as a sales engineer in machinery manufacturing from 1985 to 1999.

In January 2007, Mr. McAllen fell on ice. As a result he developed loss of balance as well as upper and lower extremity weakness, numbness, and tingling. Mr. McAllen had cervical stenosis, spinal cord myelopathy (injury), and lumbar degenerative changes. Due to the fall he had cervical fusion in March 2007. Mr. McAllen has post laminectomy syndrome and he also has arthritis, loss of bladder control, hypertension, and depression.

James McAllen filed an application with the Social Security Administration to obtain disability benefits. However, his application was denied, as well as his request for reconsideration. Mr. McAllen filed for a hearing before an Administrative Law Judge (ALJ). He then retained the Law Office of Neil H. Good to represent him to obtain Social Security disability benefits.

Attorney Good outlined Mr. McAllen’s ailments to the Adminstrative Law Judge. Mr. McAllen had three MRIs in March 2007. The first MRI showed cervical spondylosis with degenerative spondolysthesis at C2-3 and C3-4, C3-4 mild central foramenal stenosis with annulus fibrosis tear and spinal cord edema, and C5-6 foramina stenosis.

The second MRI of his lumbar spine showed degenerative changes at L3-4, L4-5, L5-S1 with mild disk desiccation. The third MRI of his cervical spine showed moderate central canal stenosis with cord compression and significant myelopathy. Mr. McAllen also had an x-ray taken which showed degenerative arthritis and an examination which revealed upper and lower extremity weakness.

As a result of Mr. McAllen’s fall he was diagnosed with cervical compression at C3-4 and myelopathy (spinal cord injury). This required a C3-4 fusion and an anterior cervical diskectomy with removal of osteophytes, C3-4 arthrodesis with allograft. Mr. McAllen did not receive any relief from the surgery, home rehabilitation or physical therapy. He has difficulty ambulating and cannot be on his feet for any period of time as he experiences loss of balance. In addition to Mr. McAllen’s physical ailments, he suffers from depressive syndrome. As a result he has sleep disturbance and decreased energy. The disabilities only made any vocational pursuits impracticable for James McAllen and made daily activities and social functions unrealistic.

The Social Security Administration awarded James McAllen Social Security benefits. They ruled that Mr. McAllen was not able to perform his past relevant work. His disabilities impede his ability to do all work.

If you are suffering from similar medical conditions or have a disability/impairment that has rendered you unable to work, contact Attorney Neil H. Good to schedule your free case evaluation to discuss your specific health condition and your SSD eligibility.