Generally, if a person has a physical or psychological (mental) disability that causes him/her to be unable to do any kind of work for which he/she is suited (given the person's age, education, and work experience) and the disability is expected either to last for at least one year or to result in death, then that person will be considered disabled for Social Security purposes.
Social Security administers four separate benefit programs for individuals with disabilities: Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI), Supplemental Security Income, Disabled Widows and Widowers
Benefits (DWB), and Disabled Adult Child Benefits (DAC). The medical requirements to prove disability, as well as the process for making disability determinations, are the same for each program.
Many people confuse the Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) programs. The differences between them are as follows:
SSDI pays benefits to you and certain members of your family if you are "insured" (you have worked long enough and paid Social Security taxes, which fund this program). A person who is eligible to receive SSDI will automatically be enrolled in Medicare after receiving 24 months of benefits.
SSI pays you benefits based on financial need, whether or not you have ever worked. SSI is a Federal income supplement program funded by general tax revenues (not Social Security taxes). A person who is eligible to receive
SSI automatically qualifies for Medicare (without a waiting period).
If you are denied on your Initial Claim, Lewis, Feldman, Lehane & McAtee, LLC can provide representation, and help you with your claim for continuing and past due benefits (back pay).
Initial claims are typically denied 60 to 70 percent of the time, depending on the state in which you filed, so chances are you'll end up in a hearing. For further information, contact us today.
