Imagine the nightmare of not being able to earn enough to make ends meet. Between the troubles faced by those who are perpetually struggling to earn their keep and those who focus on their careers and means of livelihood, lies the grey zone of disability. Disability robs an individual of the ability to go to work and earn their bread. Social Security Disability Insurance, or SSDI, looks at alleviating the suffering of this group by helping them financially, provided their disability or medical condition matches the requirements of the SSDI program.
The Social Security Disability Insurance is a Federal program that aids individuals suffering from a disability that prevents them from working. It provides financial aid to such persons, and their dependents, provided necessary qualifications are met.
Qualifying for Social Security Disability
There are two main points to be considered when talking about qualifying for Social Security Disability benefits. These are:
- Being able to prove your case through evidence of disability, both medical and occupational
- Being able to prove disability on the basis of the rules, regulations, and requirements outlined by the Social Security program
Many cases are still turned down despite rules being followed diligently, as well as a clear list of impairments along with approval criteria. One of the reasons for this could be the inability to prove that the medical impairment is indeed causing reduction in working ability, or functional disability.
We thus come to the main factor in qualifying for Social Security Disability benefits: affected individuals need to outline how their medical condition impairs their ability to work or engage in employment that they have so far been involved in.
As a result, if you or someone you know needs to apply for and receive Social Security Disability benefits, you need to:
- Provide evidence and records of the medical impairment that is leading to reduced ability or disability to continue working to your full capacity.
For example, your work involved sitting in a particular place and operating a machine with your hands. You are no longer able to do it because of a condition that affects the bones of your wrists. You need to prove that your job depends on your wrists being able to operate at full strength for a fixed time period.
- Show evidence that proves the disability also reduces your chances of returning to the same job or type of employment.
If, for example, your work involves a lot of walking up and down in a supervisory role but you are suffering from a debilitating knee condition and one that will only get worse. You will need to prove that your condition will only get worse, preventing you from returning to similar work.
- Provide evidence showing that their existing qualifications do not allow them to change their job, given the existing medical impairment.
For example, someone with a chronic and degenerative back problem will have problems holding down any job that requires them to even sit for an extended period of time, even if they are willing to and have the right educational qualifications for it.
- Prove that the disability or the debilitating condition is severe enough to last for a year. This will be determined during the examination of the disability.
Conditions such as a knee problem, for example, may be remedied through a surgery where the natural joint is replaced with a metal one. However, the subsequent period of healing and more importantly, rehabilitation may require time, involving periods of physiotherapy, rest, etc. Further, at the end of this period, it is not guaranteed that the individual will emerge fully restored and capable of working as before.
More often than not, disability claims are rejected. This happens when the paperwork does not match requirements exactly. However, when claims are rejected, the individual suffers from lack of any financial assistance.
Thus, qualifying for Social Security disability benefits rests on the ability to conclusively prove impairment such that it hinders the pursuit of employment and also results in the inability to return to it.
Professional help reduces the chances of error and ensures your claims are filed in the correct manner, and with the right supporting arguments.
If you or someone you know is suffering from disability, contact us for help in filing for benefits.
About Us:
Legal Rights Advocates, PLLC is a law firm that helps clients facing the prospect of physical disability that renders them incapable of working to support themselves and their dependents. Our team of Social Security Disability Lawyer , over the years, has helped countless clients with filing for aid with the correct requirements under the Social Security Disability program.
If you are interested in learning more about how to put in a claim for SSDI benefits, call us at (855) 254-7841 for immediate assistance.