What is Disability for the Social Security Administration?
The Social Security Administration has a special program to serve people who have a disability in the United States, Puerto Rico, and the US Virgin Islands. That is, people who suffer from a medical condition that limits their ability to perform work that requires both physical and mental effort.
Likewise, anyone who wishes to qualify for disability benefits should seek information on this topic. Although obtaining such benefits is not an easy task, a Social Security disability attorney can provide the legal help necessary to obtain them. If you have questions about what Social Security disability is or where to get the best legal representation to have your case approved, this article is for you.
Disability for the Social Security Administration
For the Social Security Administration, disability has been defined as an inability to perform work-related activities. However, this is paid work that cannot be carried out due to physical or mental difficulty. This must be determined by a doctor and have a continuous duration of at least 12 months. In some cases, said condition or illness could end in death.
Who can qualify for disability benefits?
For a person to be considered disabled by the Social Security Administration, they must have a medical condition that prevents them from performing paid work. Of course, said medical condition must be diagnosed and confirmed by a specialist in a specific area.
Likewise, Social Security may pay disability benefits to you and certain members of your family if you are insured. This means you worked enough, and recently enough, and paid Social Security taxes on your earnings. That is, you must have accumulated a certain amount of work credits to qualify.
In addition, you must meet other requirements such as being over 18 years of age, and providing Social Security with the following information:
- Date and place of birth
- Social Security number of the applicant
- Social Security number, name and date of birth of spouse
- Name and date of birth of minor children
- Bank account number, since the benefits will be deposited electronically
What aspects are taken into account to obtain disability benefits?
A person in the USA, Puerto Rico who wishes to obtain Social Security disability benefits must demonstrate the following aspects:
- The degree of disability must prevent you from being able to perform the current job or similar jobs. These jobs are based on age, education, work experience and skills.
- The medical condition must have an estimated duration of 12 consecutive months or more.
So, let's say you have a medical condition diagnosed by a specialist. If it indicates that your recovery will be within 6 months, Social Security will most likely not approve your disability benefits.
According to Social Security rules, what medical conditions are considered for disability benefits?
The Social Security Administration has a list of those disorders that can be considered disabilities. In fact, in this list of conditions we can see physical and mental problems, which can be classified as causing an illness to obtain Social Security benefits.
The disorders that appear on the disability list are divided into the following categories:
- Musculoskeletal disorders
- Special senses and speech
- Respiratory disorders
- Cardiovascular system
- Digestive system
- Genitourinary disorders
- Hematological disorders
- Skin disorders
- Endocrine disorders
- Congenital disorders
- Neurological disorders
- Mental disorders
- Cancer (neoplastic diseases)
- Immune system
The mentioned categories include various types of disorders. It is recommended that you check if your medical condition appears on the list. This way, you can ensure that you meet the requirements that Social Security has determined for your disability benefits to be approved. However, once you have any of the disabling conditions determined by the Social Security Administration, you could be granted financial disability benefits, as long as you meet the credits required for this.
Can you appeal a denial of disability benefits?
Yes. In the event that your disability benefits are denied, you can appeal. As? You can call Social Security directly as soon as you receive the denial letter and tell them that you want to appeal this decision. Subsequently, the Social Security Administration will send an email with the necessary forms to carry out your appeal. It is important that you complete these documents and send them back to Social Security so that the appeal of your case can be finalized.
The appeal is an extremely important step, it will depend on whether your disability benefits can be approved or not. For this reason, you have the right to be represented by a disability attorney during the process. A legal representative can help you present all the required evidence, as well as complete all the forms sent by Social Security to carry out your appeal.
Before applying for your disability benefits, consider the following Social Security determinations
- Disability benefits can be applied for after reaching the majority og age . However, you must have a medical condition and meet the necessary requirements for approval.
- The Social Security Administration has the power to determine the degree of disability and deny benefits.
- In addition to appealing, there are other alternatives if the Administrative Law Judge has denied your disability case.
Do you need a lawyer to help you enjoy disability benefits?
In Fuentes & Fuentes we can take care of your case. We have more than 40 years of experience, so we help each of our clients successfully to have their disability benefits approved. No matter where you are in the USA, Puerto Rico, or the USVI you can contact us today for free, no-obligation legal advice. We charge fees only when your case is approved.
If you have a medical condition that prevents you from working, and you have accumulated enough Social Security credits, you can qualify for disability benefits. Leave the legal part in our hands and you will receive the help you need in a professional manner.
