If you have sustained an injury or an illness that is making it very difficult or impossible for you to work, then you should consider applying for social security disability benefits. The benefits can help you financially while you recover from a long-term injury or while you deal with a permanent disability. Many people may generally be unaware of how they can access these benefits and if they are even applicable to their situation. We will be covering a simple how-to on accessing disability benefits and what you need to know before it.
What is Social Security Disability?
If you are unfamiliar with the term, social security disability is a program that pays a monthly amount to those unable to work due to any long-term illness or injury. The disability must have occurred before the age of retirement, and you must have worked a certain number of years to be eligible for this program.
The exact number of years you have worked can differ from person to person, depending on their age. At different ages, a certain number of work credits must have been acquired for a person to be eligible. A certain ratio of those years must also have been accomplished within the previous decade.
Meeting Medical Requirements
Aside from the time spent working, the injury or illness that you have must also follow suit with the list of impairments the social security deems worthy of receiving disability benefits. The disability must be one that has caused significant damage or severely limited the functionality of a person. A huge majority of the list of impairments are those that are either permanent or fatal. Finally, whatever the disability is, it must be one that is expected to affect your life for a minimum of 12 months to be considered applicable.
Professional Law Services
A professional disability lawyer will be able to help guide you through the application process. Oftentimes, the whole system is difficult to understand, and it can be quite rare for a person to get through the whole process on their own. A good lawyer will be able to increase your chances of getting the benefits by making sure you make few mistakes.
If you are looking for a social security lawyer in Little Rock, our residential disability attorney, Lisa Douglas, will help navigate you through the process. Contact her for a consultation on your social security disability application.
Disclaimer: Information in this blog is provided for general informational purposes. It may not reflect current laws in your region or state. It isn’t intended to substitute legal counsel.
