How a Disability Is Determined With Social Security Benefits
If you’ve suffered from any type of disability, it’s possible that you would qualify for Social Security disability insurance. In 2017, more than 10 million people received disability benefits, which indicates that it isn’t too difficult to receive these benefits if you suffer from a disability. In the event that you’re not able to obtain these benefits, consider calling a Social Security disability lawyer like ours to assist you in exploring your options.
What Is Social Security Disability Insurance?
This is a type of insurance that’s aimed at paying monthly benefits to certain workers who are unable to work because of an impairment or severe illness that will either last for at least one year or will lead to death over the next 12 months. This is a segment of the U.S. Social Security program that’s responsible for paying retirement benefits. The benefits that a disabled worker can receive are based on his or her past earnings, which are then delivered to either the disabled worker or the family members who are dependent on the disabled worker. The amount that a person receives in disability benefits depends on how much he or she used to earn before the disability occurred. For instance, anyone who made a lifetime average of $20,000 would receive more than $12,000 in disability benefits per year. This number more than doubles for anyone who made a lifetime average of $60,000.
How Eligibility Is Determined
There are numerous factors that are used to determine if someone is eligible to receive Social Security disability benefits. For one, disability benefits aren’t available for anyone who suffers from a short-term disability or partial disability. You are believed to be disabled if:
- You aren’t able to perform work that you did before the disability.
- The disability is expected to last for more than one year or result in death within a single year.
- The U.S. Social Security Administration determines that you can’t continue to work because of the disability in question.
If you’re working and you make more than $1,220 each month, it’s impossible for you to be considered disabled. The disability that you suffer from must substantially limit your ability to perform actions such as standing, lifting, sitting, walking, and remembering. This disability must last for an entire year if you want to receive complete benefits. The U.S. Social Security Administration maintains a lengthy list of conditions and diseases that it believes qualify as a disability. If your disability is found in this list, it shouldn’t be too difficult for you to qualify for Social Security disability benefits. In the event that your disability isn’t found on the list, the administration will need to decide if the condition is as severe as others on the list.
There are also some special rules that may allow you to qualify for these benefits depending on your situation. For instance, these benefits are available to individuals who are considered to be legally blind as well as people who have very low vision but may not meet the standard definition of blindness. While most of these benefits are paid to workers who are suffering from a disability, it’s also possible for disabled widowers or widows to receive such benefits if certain conditions are met, which include being between the ages of 50-60, meeting the definition of disability, and the disability occurring within seven years after the worker died.
When to Contact a Somerville Social Security Disability Lawyer
If you’ve attempted to qualify for Social Security disability benefits and you find that your application is being rejected, our lawyers at Szaferman Lakind Attorneys at Law Office may be able to provide you with assistance. We can help you to understand why this decision was made while also attempting to appeal it. If your application was accepted but you aren’t receiving the amount of benefits that you’re supposed to, our lawyers can help you with this as well.
When you’re having difficulties with obtaining the benefits that you deserve, call our Somerville Social Security disability lawyer at 609-771-8611 so that we can work toward resolving any issues you’re going through.
