Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) provides supplementary income for individuals who have been injured while working. All citizens of the United States are eligible for SSDI because the program is funded through deductions that automatically come out a person’s paycheck. SSDI can provide individuals with the additional money they need to get through a difficult time after a workplace injury. SSDI can even provide long-term income for individuals who have become chronically disabled. Eligibility requirements can be complex, so it is important for prospective recipients to evaluate their options carefully before moving forward.
Social Security Disability in Harrisburg, PA
Prospective recipients must understand the dynamics of the SSDI program to ensure that they qualify for the program and that they receive maximum benefits. SSDI is only available for individuals who have been working for several years. The reason for the work requirement is that these benefits are supposed to be part of a federal employment insurance program that is only available to employed workers. In general, recipients are supposed to have been working for five of the last 10 years. However, there are many exceptions to the general rule for younger people or individuals who have been unemployed. Unfortunately, the restrictions can still prevent some individuals from receiving compensation.
SSDI benefits are also available to the family members of individuals who become injured while on the job. Family members can even receive benefits after their former loved one passes away. A worker’s spouse can receive benefits from SSDI if they are over the age of 62. Spouses can also receive benefits if they are taking care of a young, dependent child. A skilled SSDI attorney can help spouses and family members determine when they might be eligible to receive benefits from their former loved one.
Individuals seeking to receive SSDI benefits will have to undergo medical evaluations to assess the nature of their condition. It will also be necessary to prove that a disability truly bars a person from being employed. The Social Security Administration, therefore, will need to evaluate a person’s mental and physical health before benefits can be received. Determining whether a person is disabled could also require court hearings and testimony from other individuals. Unfortunately, it can take many months from the diagnosis process to be completed, so potential recipients will need to be patient and plan on initially using income from other sources.
Getting Help from an Attorney
The degree of complexity associated with receiving SSDI benefits can prevent many disabled individuals from receiving the benefits that they deserve. Individuals who work with an attorney can increase their chances of success and ensure that maximum benefits are received. Working with an attorney can also help individuals plan ahead for potential cash flow shortages that an experienced professional might be able to foresee. Attorneys can even help benefit recipients after the approval process to prevent losing benefits in the future. Working with a skilled attorney, therefore, can help disabled individuals get the compensation they need to succeed on the road to recovery.
Working with an experienced attorney can help ensure that the SSDI approval process goes smoothly and ensure that benefits are maximized. Individuals who were injured while on the job should get in touch with a skilled Harrisburg, PA SSDI Social Security Disability attorney today to determine what forms of compensation might be available.
Hear from Our Clients in Harrisburg
[quote_simple author=”Sandra from Harrisburg”]“When Ruth called to tell me we had won, a huge burden was lifted.”[/quote_simple]
Sandra was a successful sales manager for a large regional firm. She had two back surgeries but was able to return to work after each surgery. As she got older the arthritis from an auto accident and continued decline of her back made it harder and harder to keep going. As Sandra’s sales declined she found it harder and harder to meet employer expectations and was finally laid off. Sandra’s depression which had been under good control got worse. Sandra was full of anxiety and worry about her future and felt like she was getting the run-around from social security when they told her it would be nearly two months until she could get an appointment. The Ruth Kolb Law Office helped Sandra complete her application the same week. Sandra was initially denied, but when additional evidence was obtained by Ruth Kolb Law Office she was awarded benefits without a hearing, saving Sandra months of waiting and worry.
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