Recovering The SelfA Journal of Hope and Healing

Disabilities

Social Security Benefits for Those Living with a Disability

Guest Blogger: Matthew Norman

Living with a disability can be financially challenging, as it may be difficult to receive the treatment you need while continuing to support yourself and your family. Often, individuals with disabilities are unable to work at all, in which case, maintaining financial stability may seem all but impossible.

Fortunately, the Social Security Administration has several programs in place to support those who are in need of financial assistance after a disability has made it difficult or impossible for them to work. By applying for Social Security disability benefits, many people may be able to secure the assistance they need to make ends meet despite their inability to continue working.

How Social Security Disability Benefits Work

If a person is unable to continue working because of an injury or illness, they may qualify for Social Security benefits. The Social Security Administration (SSA) has a list of disabilities that commonly qualify for financial support, which includes:

  • Herniated discs
  • Multiple sclerosis
  • Schizophrenia
  • HIV/AIDS
  • Arthritis
  • Epilepsy
  • Blindness
  • Respiratory diseases
  • Musculoskeletal conditions
  • Cardiovascular conditions
  • Immune system deficiencies

These are by no means the only issues that may qualify a person for Social Security disability benefits; but if you are unable to work because of any of the conditions listed above, it may be worthwhile for you to look into filing for Social Security disability benefits.

Once a person has applied for benefits, they can expect to hear back within a short amount of time. Frustratingly, in many cases, applicants will receive an initial rejection letter; however there are multiple levels of appeals available to those in need. If your application is rejected, do not give up and do not reapply. Instead, you should appeal the initial rejection. Social Security applications are complicated and often require several appeals before they are approved.

Improving Your Odds

If you are interested in applying for Social Security disability benefits and want to simplify the application process as much as possible, the following tips may be helpful:

  • Keep your medical records handy—The more information you can provide the SSA, the easier it will be to prove your disability and get things filed completely on your first submission.
  • Stay persistent—The process can take months to complete, but by following up with your application and appealing any rejections, you may be able to secure the assistance you need.
  • Consider working with a professional—An attorney who has experience with Social Security disability claims can help you and your loved ones deal with this challenging process and keep you up to date with any issues as they arise.

A successful Social Security disability claim can make it much easier for you to make ends meet despite being unable to work, so it is worth it to stay persistent even if you aren’t approved right away.

About the Author

Matthew Norman is a full time blogger who is interested in a variety of different topics ranging from legal issues to technology. He frequently writes about SSD for a Social Security disability lawyer and for a number of reference sites.

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Recovering The Self is a forum for people to tell their stories. Individual contributors accept complete responsibility for the veracity, accuracy, and non-infringement of their reporting.
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