Individuals who are disabled and meet Social Security standards are eligible for long-term benefits under the Social Security Disability Program. It’s intended to deliver advantages exclusively to people with the most severe disabilities. For Disability and Social Security, eligibility criteria is to have an injury or ailment that prohibits you from working for at least a year or will result in death.
Supplemental Security Income, or SSI, is another type of disability benefit funded by the Treasury Department and assists persons whose financial resources fall below certain levels. Applicants for both programs must provide adequate documentation to back up their disability claims. The procedure can take a long time and generally involves an in-person or phone interview. Seeking assistance from a knowledgeable and experienced social security attorney in Sacramento may help you guide throughout the process while strengthening the chances of getting your application approved.
What you should know to apply for Social Security Disability benefits, including what is available and what conditions qualify, are outlined below!
Steps To Apply For Social Security Disability Benefits
As soon as you become disabled, you should apply for disability benefits. You can either apply online, via phone at 800-772-1213 or in person at a Social Security office near you. Whichever option you take, you’ll need to have all the necessary documents, including comprehensive information on your health and recent job history. Another prime consideration is that you cannot be receiving benefits from Social Security and must not have been rejected disability benefits in the previous 60 days.
Be patient before applying since most disability applications are first refused, and the appeals process can take months or even years to complete. According to AARP, even receiving a preliminary verdict on your application takes more than five months on average. However, if you find the process complex or are applying for the first time, consider engaging a disability lawyer in Sacramento to assist you.
Related Article – Is It Hard To Get Disability For Mental Illness
Qualifying Conditions For Social Security Disability Insurance
Although there is no defined list of acceptable impairments, the Social Security Blue Book, an online catalog of physical and mental health disorders, automatically qualifies if you match the stringent diagnostic standards.
- Some disabilities include leukemia, breast and prostate cancer, congenital heart disease, sickle cell anemia, bipolar disorder, liver disease, HIV, inflammatory arthritis, Parkinson’s disease, epilepsy, traumatic brain injuries, burns, dermatitis, and impaired hearing, among others.
Children under the age of 18 are subject to the same disabilities, with the addition of low birth weight and failure to thrive. Instead of considering whether the disability restricts their capacity to work, Minors are evaluated based on whether a condition will cause significant functional restrictions for at least a year or is likely to be fatal. Even though your disease isn’t included in the Blue Book, you may still be eligible for SSDI or SSI if it significantly impairs your daily functioning.
If your disability prohibits you from doing your previous job, the Social Security Administration will determine if there’s any other work you can do, considering your conditions and skills. Furthermore, certain family members of disabled workers and adults disabled since childhood may also be eligible for SSDI.
