The first thing we want to clarify here is that Social Security Disability is a very different matter to workers comp, although most people do make that same mistake of confusing one with the other. With that being said it\’s also important to mention that several million American citizens process Social Security disability claims each year, so in this article we want to cover the basics of what you need to know for your Social Security disability claim to be successful.
Your Credits
To actually qualify for Social Security disability payments you\’ll need to have earned a certain number of tax credits within a given time frame. Overall for a successful claim you\’ll need to have earned a total of 40 credits, with 20 of those credits having been earned in the last 10 years. The average industrial worker will earn roughly 4 credits per year, with roughly every $1,100 of taxable income entitling you to a single disability credit. You can obtain the number of available credits by contacting your local social security office.
Your Disability
For you to be considered for monthly Social Security disability payments your disability must fulfill the following requirements:
* It must prevent you from doing the job you did before
* The disability is expected to least 12-months, or until you die
* You have been medically certified to be unable to work
* You disability must be a recognized condition (as listed in the \”Blue Book\”)
These requirements are pretty straightforward but some people assume that they\’ll be able to circumvent the system and get their claim approved anyway, but we can assure you that if your claim doesn\’t meet the core requirements then, in the absence of incredibly compelling medical evidence, your claim will be denied.
Here\’s a short list of the medical conditions you can file for a Social Security disability claim under:
* Musculoskeletal issues
* Cardiovascular conditions
* Vision and hearing loss
* Respiratory medical conditions
* Neurological conditions
* Mental disorders
* Skin disorders
* Most cancers
* Kidney and liver diseases
This isn\’t an exhaustive list but gives you a general idea of the types of medical conditions which will qualify for disability payments. It\’s important to note that if you are currently working more than 20-hours per week it will be very difficult to prove that you are currently disabled, regardless of what your current medical status is.
Generally speaking the older you are then the more disability payment credits you\’ll need, and even when you do have the required number of credits there are some other requirements you may need to meet, such as becoming disabled within a specific time frame.
If you\’re in any doubt about how to process your Social Security disability claim we would always advice that you seek professional legal counsel on the matter to ensure that your claim is as successful as it deserves to be.