Aortic Dissection, Heart Valve Replacement, Palpitations, Chronic Fatigue, Chronic Shortness of Breath – Work Related Injuries - Journeyman Electrician, 45 years old

Our client was working as an electrician when he began to experience severe chest pain and weakness. EMS transported him to a local hospital where he was diagnosed with an aortic dissection and he underwent emergency surgery to repair the dissection. Despite the surgery and occupational therapy, he continued to experience severe fatigue and shortness of breath. We filed an original claim and request for reconsideration on his behalf, both of which were denied. Disability Determination Services determined he was able to perform light duty work despite his symptoms and functional limitations.

We filed a request for a hearing and obtained several residual functional capacity assessments from his treating medical providers. The vocational expert at the hearing agreed that our client could not perform light duty work and that due to his symptoms and functional limitations, there were no jobs in the local or national economy that he could perform. The judge issued a fully favorable decision. Our office also handled the coordination of workers’ compensation benefits and Social Security disability benefits with the clients local Social Security office.