No one ever expects to become seriously injured in an accident. And with that, no one is prepared to deal with the aftermath of a severe accident that leaves him or her temporarily or permanently disabled. However, individuals in Ohio and elsewhere are faced with this horrible situation, leaving them overwhelmed and unable to navigate the matter on their own. When an individual is unable to work because of a disabling injury, this can be challenging. Especially when that person is unable to obtain or maintain gainful employment. Thus, disabled individuals, no matter the source of their disabilities, may seek out financial assistance in the form of Social Security Disability (SSD) from the Social Security Administration (SSA.)
What must an applicant do to recover SSD benefits? In order to initiate the process to obtain Social Security disability benefits, an individual must first file an application. While this might seem like a simple step, applicants are required to answer questions and detail their situations in order to prove they meet the SSA’s definition of disability. This requires an applicant to collect medical records, financial records and other documents that will help evidence his or her condition or injury.
In order to qualify for SSDI benefits, an applicant must have worked long enough, which usually amounts to about 10 years, to have enough work credits to get benefits for a disability. In addition to proving that they have enough work credits, applicants must also prove that their medical condition meets the SSA’s definition of disability. If an applicant is unable to work for a year or more or has a condition that is expected to result in death, he or she will likely meet this requirement.
If an applicant is denied benefits after filing an initial application, this is not the end of the line. It is possible to file for reconsideration. If this does not result in a favorable outcome, an applicant can still go through a multi-step appeal process. If he or she needs to make the application more complete, it is possible that by providing more evidence, an applicant will obtain a favorable result.
Filing for SSD benefits is not a simple process. Many are overwhelmed by it, or even avoid it for some time because they are afraid of being denied. But the truth of the matter is that an applicant will never know the outcome until he or she applies for benefits. Thus, it is important to fully understand the process and what can be done to protect one’s rights.
Source: Ssa.gov, “What are the eligibility requirements to get Social Security disability benefits?” accessed July 30, 2017