If you are interested in applying for Social Security disability benefits, it would be a good idea to see if you fall under any of the following categories. This article will tell you about four of the indicators that reveal whether someone is likely to be approved for Social Security disability benefits or not.
1. Your Ability to Work
The amount of money that you earn in the year you apply for benefits largely determines whether or not you are eligible to receive disability payments. If you make above a certain amount in one month, you are no longer eligible for Social Security disability benefits. The amount is determined by the Social Security Administration every year.
2. The Severity of Your Condition
If you want to be eligible for Social Security disability payments, you must prove that your condition is severe enough to affect your ability to function in most American workplaces. If your condition is not considered severe enough to interfere with your ability to hold down a job, the Social Security disability office will not be able to give you federal benefits.
3. The List of Disabling Conditions
The Social Security office has a list of “disabling conditions” that cover every major part of the human body. If an applicant has one of these conditions, it means that they are automatically considered disabled. If your condition is not on this list, the office must determine if it is as severe as the listed maladies. If it isn’t, you will not get benefits.
4. Your Ability to Work, Part 2
The Social Security office will need to determine if you can do the work you performed before you were disabled. They also need to know if you can do any other type of work. If the office finds that you can do some work, your claim will often be denied.
Even though the federal Social Security office determines whether or not you get benefits, the disability benefits appeals process is done on a local level. In the state of Indiana, for instance, you must put in a Request for Reconsideration if you are denied benefits. You then go before an administrative law judge, who hears your case. If you are again denied benefits, you must go through the Appeals Council in Virginia. The last resort is a hearing in federal court. While many people get benefits on their first try, others will need to get the help of an experienced attorney such Michael G. Myers Attorney at Law or other firms that focus on social security disability in order to make their way through the disability appeals process.
Getting approved for disability benefits is not a gargantuan feat most of the time. Most people who said ‘yes’ to all four of the presented indicators should get disability benefits with no problem. Those who said ‘no’ to a couple may need to hire an attorney to get them through the process. If you hire a lawyer, no promises can be made. However, your chances of eventually getting approved for benefits do get higher.