Disability Benefits QA
Becoming disabled is no laughing matter. For many it means that they can no longer hold a steady job due to their disability. The disability may be a physical one in which they cannot stay on their feet for long period of time or lift anything due to a muscle injury. The injury may be a psychological one that severely limits their interaction with other people. The sad fact is that many people become disabled and do not know what to do next. This article will address some of the more common questions you or a loved one might have about disability benefits. It definitely pays to be informed and hopefully you will be able to understand the process behind receiving benefits if you are disabled and unable to work any longer.
What are disability benefits?
When a person becomes injured in the United States, they can sometimes find themselves unable to work or earn an income based on their particular injury. If this happens, the United States government has made it possible for them to draw disability benefits. The benefits come from the Social Security Office and are based on what they have paid in over the course of their working career. In the case of someone who has never been able to work due to a disability, they still can receive monetary and health benefits through the same office. The benefits are a check that is paid every month to help them with living expenses. The benefits are paid either through the Social Security disability insurance program and the Supplemental Social Security Income program. The ability to receive these benefits will largely depend on exactly what disability that person has and to what extent they are able, if any, to work.
How do you apply for disability benefits?
The very first thing you need to do in order to apply for disability benefits is to visit your local Social Security office or visit the government's website at www.ssa.gov. You will need to review all of the information regarding how to apply, how to document your injury and how to receive benefits. It is not an easy process. Thousands of disabled people are rejected each year either due to poor documentation or the failure to follow the exact process. Your very first step is to read who can receive these benefits and see if you fall into that category. The next step is to fill out all of the appropriate paperwork. Just be warned though that it is a very thorough application and extensive documentation is going to be required from your doctor or healthcare professional. The panel that reviews the applications may even request that you see one of their physicians in order to have a complete workup done to see if you are truly disabled.
What types of disabilities are accepted?
The Social Security Office has very strict guidelines in what they consider a disability and a guideline to see if you have met the minimum requirements regarding earnings in order to draw disability benefits. If you have a physical injury that prevents you from having a job such as a back injury, blindness, deafness or any other physical trauma, you may be eligible to apply and receive benefits. Mental illness is also considered to be a disability depending on the level of functionality that you have. If you have a mental illness that keeps you from being able to work or to hold down a job, you may be eligible to apply. If you were born with an illness, injury or deformity that prevents you from having a job or keeping one…you may be eligible for benefits.
How is the dollar amount for disability benefits determined?
The amount you are eligible to receive for disability benefits is determined by your average lifetime earnings. When you work in the United States, a certain dollar amount is withheld from each paycheck to pay into your Social Security. Most people receive a Social Security Statement once a year that shows everything that they have paid in to date. If you do not know how much you have paid in, you can contact www.socialsecurity.gov to get a copy of this statement. It will list how much you have paid in and what your benefits would be if you were to start drawing benefits at your particular age.
What happens if you work while claiming disability benefits?
You can work while drawing disability benefits but you absolutely must report those earnings to the Social Security Administration. Failure to do so can result in you losing your benefits, having to repay any past benefits obtained while working and you could face a fine and/or prison time. It is a felony to commit fraud against the United States government to obtain money under false pretenses. The government has programs in place to help you find work that you can do. Your benefit amount will be reduced but you still may be eligible to get some benefits.
Why was my disability claim denied?
There are hundreds of reasons why disability claims are denied each year. It may be that you did not provide the right documentation. It could be that your disability is not on their covered disabilities list. It may be that you have a felony warrant out for your arrest for some crime and did not report it. It could even be that the panel feels that your condition will improve within a year and render you unable to receive benefits. That is why it is essential that you read everything you can about disability benefits and understand all of the documentation that you will need in order to be qualified.
How do you fight or appeal to get your disability benefits approved?
If the government denies your disability claim you will receive a letter stating why you have been denied disability benefits. But do not lose hope. You can appeal the process but you should know that sometimes the appeal process takes years. You may be denied several times and require a disability attorney to handle your case for you. Many people find themselves going to court to prove their disability and having to get a judge rule on their case. There are several levels that you can go through in order to get your case heard and passed through.
Once you have been approved for disability benefits, will it cover back pay to the time of my accident or illness?
If you have been approved for disability benefits the first payment will go back to the sixth full month of your disability. If it has taken a long time to get benefits or you have waited several years in hopes of recovering, the benefits will cover all of your past months that you were disabled. This is to ensure that you receive all of the monies that you are due. If you have become disabled recently and have been approved right away, you will still have to wait until the sixth full month of your disabled status. Usually the time limit begins the moment you become disabled regardless of whether you file that month or a year from that date.
How do I report disability fraud?
If you suspect someone of committing disability fraud in order to obtain disability benefits when in fact they are not disabled or are working, you need to report this to the Social Security Administration. You can do so anonymously without fear of reprisal by the other person. It is a serious crime to defraud the United States government and they take it quite seriously.
Do I continuously report in to my case worker for my disability benefits?
Generally you only need to report to your case worker if something changes in your status. If you find that you want to try going back to work, talk to your case worker. There are programs set up to help you test your disability while still allowing you to receive benefits and Medicare. The Social Security Administration can help you find a job that may be perfectly suited for your particular disability.
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