If you are unable to work due to a disabling medical condition, you may feel overwhelmed by your situation and unsure of what to do next. When you cannot work, you cannot support yourself and your family. Your disability can cause you stress, frustration and financial instability, and you may have to deal with on-going pain or at the very least inconvenience in your day-to-day life.
Disability benefits through the Social Security Administration (SSA) are for the support of individuals who have a medical condition, mental disability or physical impairment that precludes them from holding gainful employment. If you find yourself in this position, you could be eligible for these benefits. It is helpful to first learn about eligibility requirements, and if you are eligible, how to validate your claim to these financial benefits.
What does the SSA say about disability?
According to the SSA, a person has a valid disability if he or she has a serious and long-term condition. You may qualify for these benefits if your disease, illness or injury will last for a continuous period of at least one year or result in your death.
The SSA will look at how your condition affects your ability to work. This includes your ability to stand, sit, walk, lift, move and do other things. You must be able to prove that your physical or mental capabilities are to the point where you can no longer continue with the same job or find different employment.
Proving that you qualify
Simply having a serious medical condition does not necessarily mean that you will qualify for Social Security disability benefits. In order to validate your claim, you will have to include sufficient evidence about your disability, including medical records, information about your doctors, treatment plans, medication information and more.
Preparing and completing your initial application is an important step in your journey to securing disability benefits. You may note that it is not easy to get benefits, even with a serious medical condition. In fact, many claims come back denied. That is not the end of the road for you, however. You can appeal or ask for a reconsideration of your claim.
The support you need, the help you deserve
If you believe you may qualify for these benefits, you may find it beneficial to first seek a complete evaluation of your case from an experienced SSD attorney. Having this support from the very beginning can help you understand how to proceed, what documents you need to gather and how you can avoid missteps along the way.
