Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) has been around since 1956 and was created by the Social Security Administration to provide support to individuals whose physical and mental disabilities are severe enough to prevent them from doing substantial work. SSDI provides economic security to millions of Americans across the country. SSDI claims are typically processed through state-wide field offices and a centralized agency within the state.
At Graham Law, our Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) attorneys have been helping the disabled with their claims for decades and we can assist clients throughout the United States thanks to technology. Contact our law firm for legal assistance with your SSDI claims. In the meantime, here is more information on the SSDI claims process works.
What Benefits Can You Get With SSDI?
In order to be eligible for SSDI benefits, you must have paid in to Social Security via payroll taxes. You must also meet the Social Security disability standard to qualify. With regards to disability insurance benefits, the amount of financial benefit you receive will depend on how much you’ve worked/earned in the past. The Social Security Administration outlines the type of benefits that eligible individuals may be entitled to including:
- Monthly Payment: a monthly payment based on your work history from the date of onset;
- Medicare Coverage: if you qualify, you may be eligible for Medicare coverage which could include compensation for things like medical expenses including hospital stays, doctor visits and prescription medication;
- Family Dependent Benefits: benefits can also be extended to certain family members such as spouses and children if they are eligible;
- Return-to-Work Support: SSDI also offers programs to help people return to work after a disability which are aimed to provide support for the transition;
What Is the SSDI Eligibility Criteria?
Social Security has a strict sequential analysis for defining disability. In order to qualify for SSDI benefits, you must be satisfy each step in said sequential analysis:
Step 1: Are you performing SGA? If you are working and your monthly earnings before taxes are deducted are higher than the Substantial Gainful Activity (SGA) level, you will not qualify for SSI benefits.
Step 2: Do you have a severe medical impairment or combination of impairments? To be eligible for SSI, it must be demonstrated that your medical impairment, or combination of impairments, significantly limits your ability to perform work activities for at least a year and/or resulted in death.
Step 3: Does the severity of your impairment, or combination of impairments, meet or medically equal the descriptions listed in the List of Impairments? If your impairment is not on the list, SSA will review whether your impairment is as severe as any of the ones on the List of Impairments. If SSA determines that your impairment meets or medically equals any on the List of Impairments, then steps 4 and 5 are not necessary and you will be determined as disabled.
Step 4: Can you perform your past relevant work? If your impairment, or combination of impairments, does not preclude you from performing your past relevant work, then you will not qualify for SSI benefits. If it does, then you will move onto step 5 to determine your disability.
Step 5: Can you do any type of other work? If your impairment, or combination of impairments, does not prevent you from doing other work and earning at the SGA level, then the SSA will determine that you are not disabled, and you will not qualify for SSI benefits.
The Social Security Administration recognizes that sometimes individuals may have medical conditions that automatically qualify individuals for disability benefits. These are known as Compassionate Allowances.
There are also 14 categories of listed impairments that will result in a finding of disabled should it be found that your impairment, or combination of impairments, meet or medically equal the severity required in those listed:
- Musculoskeletal disorders
- Special senses and speech
- Respiratory disorders
- Cardiovascular system disorders
- Digestive disorders
- Genitourinary disorders
- Hematological disorders
- Skin disorders
- Endocrine disorders
- Congenital disorders that affect multiple body systems
- Neurological disorders
- Mental disorders
- Cancer (malignant neoplastic diseases)
- Immune system disorders
How Can an SSDI Attorney Help Me With My Disability Benefits?
Navigating a Social Security disability claim is a long and difficult process, unlike simply filing for basic social security retirement benefits. Applying for and receiving Social Security disability benefits can be complicated by lack of work “credits,” missing or non-existent medical records, current job requirements, and other factors. For example, if you receive benefits already from workers’ compensation or payouts from a government pension – your SSDI benefits may be impacted. We always recommend you consult with an attorney who has experience handling these types of claims.
Contact Graham Law for a Free Consultation
There are many complex aspects to this area of law and seeking help from a Social Security disability attorney is a good starting point to ensure you get the compensation you rightfully deserve. Whether you’re ready to apply for your Social Security disability benefits, or have had your disability benefits denied, consult with our attorneys today for a free consultation. Our legal team will be pleased to help you. To help serve you better, we have physical offices in both Zanesville and Cambridge, Ohio. Thanks to technology, however, we can assist clients anywhere in the United States. Get started today with a free case evaluation.
