Breathing is the most basic human function, and something most people take for granted. If you’re struggling to breathe, life becomes more about survival than enjoying yourself. It’s difficult to focus on family, friends, or work when simply emptying your lungs takes so much energy.
For people suffering from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, or COPD, that’s a daily reality. COPD is a long-term lung condition that ranks as the third-leading cause of death by disease in the U.S., according to the American Lung Association.
Although an estimated 11 million Americans have been diagnosed with COPD, countless more people could be suffering from the disease. Our long-term disability insurance attorneys near Philadelphia, PA, have years of experience helping COPD patients seek disability benefits when insurance companies won’t pay.
Here are a few facts you need to know about COPD:
- COPD includes both chronic bronchitis and emphysema or a combination of both conditions.
Common causes include smoking or inhaling too many fumes, vapors, or dust particles over time. - COPD narrows your airways, making it difficult to take in and expel air from the lungs.
- People with COPD often experience shortness of breath, which makes any activity, from sleeping to walking up stairs, more challenging.
- It’s common for COPD to cause frequent respiratory infections, such as the flu and pneumonia. This is why it’s such a problematic and chronic condition.
- Damage caused to the lungs by COPD is permanent.
- The condition is treatable, but treatment can get costly.
The lingering effects of COPD extend beyond recurring physical symptoms. People suffering from such a chronic lung condition can also develop anxiety and depression. It doesn’t help when patients have to miss work or leave their jobs, navigate their way through the treatment process and then tangle with insurance companies to help cover their medical expenses.
How Can Rosen, Moss, Snyder & Bleefeld, L.L.P. Help?
Our long-term disability claim lawyers near Philadelphia, PA, understand the difficulties that accompany living with COPD. We’ve spent decades working on disability claims and can’t stand to see people who are ill both fighting for their quality of life and fighting for the benefits they deserve.
If you are suffering or think you could be suffering from COPD, make sure you seek medical treatment and follow your doctor’s instructions. If you’d like us to review your COPD disability benefits case, give us a call today.