If you suffer an injury and cannot work, you may wonder if there is any help available. It is a good idea that you consider all your options to assist you while you cannot earn a living.
According to the Social Security Administration, you must meet its definition of disability to qualify, which may be difficult depending on your injury.
Disability definition
A disability under SSA rules is any health issue that prevents you from working for at least a year. You will need to have medical documentation to prove that you will not heal to the point where you can work in any capacity for at least one year.
Work definition
When the SSA says you cannot work, it means that you cannot hold any job where you make a certain amount of money. The SSA calls this substantial gainful activity. The earnings limits change every year, but are fairly low. If you can work a job part-time at minimum wage, then you probably will not qualify for benefits because that would be SGA.
Unable to qualify
The SSA is strict about these definitions. There are no allowances or exceptions. The SSA assumes that if your injury will be short-term or you can work in some capacity that you will have access to other benefits that can assist you until you can return to your previous employment.
Most people will not qualify for SSDI. You should try other options before you rely on these benefits. If you can get workers’ compensation or file a personal injury lawsuit, it may be a better option unless you have a serious injury that debilitates you for the long term.
