Findlay Personal Injury Lawyers | June 18, 2025 | Long-Term Disability
Many mental health conditions can affect a person’s ability to work, including bipolar disorder. It depends on the severity of the disorder and the type of bipolar disorder. When bipolar disorder negatively impacts a person’s ability to work, the person may qualify for long-term disability benefits.
This article discusses how bipolar disorder can affect a person’s work. It also discusses how a long-term disability lawyer can help a person seek long-term disability benefits for bipolar disorder.
What Is Bipolar Disorder?
Bipolar disorder is a mental health condition that causes a person to experience severe periods of mania (elevated moods) and depression. The mood swings of bipolar disorder are much more severe than the regular ups and downs people experience.
The signs and symptoms of bipolar disorder depend on whether the person is in a manic or depressive phase. During a manic phase, a person may seem happy and euphoric all the time for at least a week. However, they could also be aggressive, angry, or irritable.
Manic Phases
If a mood change has at least three of the following symptoms, the person may be in a manic phase:
- Easily distracted
- Exaggerated feeling of grandeur or self-esteem
- Racing thoughts
- Exhibiting poor judgment
- More talkative than usual
- Engaging in risky behavior
- Decreased need for sleep
Hypomania is a less severe form of mania where the person may have excessive energy and feel happy, but their life is not seriously impaired. Hypomania may progress to mania.
Depressive States
During a depressive state, a person with bipolar disorder will experience at least five symptoms on most days for at least two weeks. Signs of a depressive phase include:
- Sleeping too much or difficulty sleeping
- Depressed mood
- Thoughts of suicide
- Loss of energy
- Agitation or apathy
- Loss of pleasure or interest in activities
- Difficulty concentrating
- Feelings of guilt and worthlessness
People may experience mixed episodes of mania and depressive symptoms. They may also experience psychotic symptoms, such as auditory or visual hallucinations, losing touch with reality, and having ideas that are not based on reality.
Individuals may also experience catatonic symptoms, causing problems with movement.
How Does Bipolar Disorder Affect Someone’s Ability To Work?
Symptoms of bipolar disorder can interfere with work, especially if the symptoms are severe or unmanaged. Severe periods of depression or mania can make it difficult or impossible for workers to concentrate or remember what they need to do at work.
Ways that bipolar disorder can interfere with your ability to perform your job include:
- Interpersonal relationships: It may be challenging to engage in effective communication, including listening to and responding to supervisors and customers. A person with bipolar disorder may have problems addressing conflicts and establishing/respecting boundaries.
- Attendance: Symptoms may result in numerous missed workdays.
- Psychotic symptoms: Hearing voices and seeing things that are not there can make it impossible to hold a job.
- Lack of motivation: Bipolar symptoms may slow productivity, which can strain relationships with co-workers and supervisors.
- Reduced concentration: A lack of concentration and focus can result in mistakes and errors. A person may struggle to complete tasks and solve problems.
- Physical issues: A person with bipolar disorder may experience physical problems because of their symptoms. They may have headaches, panic attacks, high blood pressure, and digestive problems.
Many factors impact how severely bipolar disorder affects a person’s ability to perform their job. Many individuals with bipolar disorder can work, especially when medication and other treatments are effective in managing their symptoms.
If bipolar disorder causes debilitating symptoms, a person may qualify for long-term disability benefits.
Filing for Long-Term Disability Benefits for Bipolar Disorder
Long-term disability (LTD) benefits provide monthly financial assistance to individuals who are unable to work because of an impairment or disability. Physical and mental impairments may qualify for long-term disability. Most LTD insurance policies require the claimant to prove they are unable to complete the required duties of their employment.
Proving a diagnosis of bipolar disorder qualifies for long-term disability benefits requires solid medical evidence. Otherwise, the insurance company may deny the claim. Even when you have substantial medical evidence and opinions from well-respected physicians, the insurance company may deny your claim.
If an insurance company denies your LTD claim for bipolar disorder, you may want to hire an experienced long-term disability lawyer.
How Can a Hamilton Long-Term Disability Lawyer Help You With a Claim in Ontario, Canada?
Insurance companies may challenge whether you have bipolar disorder or the severity of the symptoms. A Hamilton long-term disability lawyer can help you pursue a claim by:
- Completing the paperwork to file an LTD claim to avoid mistakes and errors that could delay your claim or result in a denied claim
- Gathering medical evidence that is required to prove your bipolar disorder diagnosis and the severity of your symptoms
- Assisting you in locating medical specialists and experts to provide additional evidence
- Providing guidance if the insurance company requires a Functional Capacity Examination (FCE)
- Filing an appeal if the company denies your claim
Contact the Ontario Long-Term Disability Lawyers at Findlay Personal Injury Lawyers for Help Today
If you have questions about a long-term disability claim for bipolar disorder in Hamilton, Brantford, Burlington, or St. Catharines, contact the experienced long-term disability lawyers at Findlay Personal Injury Lawyers to schedule a free consultation.
We proudly serve clients throughout Southern Ontario and the surrounding communities.
Findlay Personal Injury Lawyers – Hamilton, ON
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