When you think of injuries that disable a person, you tend to think of the most severe cases. Injuries such as, heart failure or becoming paralyzed. However, there are a lot of chronic injuries that may become disabling later in life. Even though the injuries were not too severe to begin with they can become a much larger problem as you get older.
Thankfully, if you find yourself with a chronic injury that has become a burden, you will still be eligible to receive Social Security disability (SSD) benefits. SSD benefits allow you to maintain the lifestyle you had before your impairment left you unable to work.
What qualifies you for SSD?
Social Security disability is a government run program. Because of this there are quite a few rules that must be met. To receive Social Security disability benefits your disability must be medically determinable by a doctor. Also, the following requirements must be met:
- You must be physically or mentally impaired
- Your impairment must prevent you from doing substantial gainful work
- Your disability must be expected to last 12 months or to result in death
What does medically determinable mean?
Medically determinable means that you must be able to prove that your doctor has identified and medically diagnosed your impairment. This information must be in your application for SSD benefits. Providing this evidence to the Social Security Administration (SSA) can be confusing. If you do not provide enough evidence or if you provide the wrong evidence, the SSA could deny your claim.
Luckily, medical sources, like your doctor can send in the information for you. The best medical sources would be doctors who have been involved in your treatment for this impairment from the beginning. They would be able to ensure you have the correct evidence to qualify for SSD benefits.
If you have other questions about SSD benefits or applying, consider contacting a seasoned SSD lawyer who can help you with the process.
