Monday, February 27, 2012

Requirements for Claiming Social Security Disability Benefits (SSDI)

social disability attorney and claims
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One of the most difficult procedures involved in applying for a Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) is proving disability. Many SSDI applications are rejected each year because the applicants cannot sufficiently prove that they are “disabled”. The Social Security Administration (SSA) is very specific in determining an applicant’s disability; hence, it is necessary for claimants to know beforehand the information involved in proving a disability.

According to SSA’s guidelines, a person may be considered “disabled” if he or she:

•    Cannot do work that he or she did prior to disability
•    Cannot adjust to other types of work due to his or her medical condition

Aside from passing the SSA’s definition of disability, SSDI claimant must also adhere to other requirements. An SSDI applicant must also consider these factors when claiming for disability benefits:

Duration of the disability – The claimant’s disability must last for at least 12 months or may result into death; otherwise, the SSA would not recognize the claim.

Disability evidence – The applicant must provide necessary documents proving his or her disability for the claim to be verified. Documents usually required by the SSA include medical records, tax return documents, and W-2 forms.

Substantial gainful activity (SGA) – Non-blind applicants for SSDI must know that if their monthly SGA income is more than $1,010, their claim may not be accepted. For blind SSDI applicants, their monthly SGA income should be less than $1,690.

In order for SSDI applicants to increase their chances of getting disability benefits, they should seek assistance from a social security disability attorney. An expert legal assistance is a must in claiming for SSDI benefits because the application process involves complex and very specific requirements and procedures.

Although claiming for SSDI is difficult, it can be made easy by properly and carefully adhering to the requirements of the SSA.

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