Oakland Social Security Disability Law Blog

If you have a debilitating illness or injury that prevents you from working, then you should submit your application for Social Security Disability (SSD) quickly. No, the program isn't going away or running out of funds. The Social Security Administration (SSA) is notorious for denying applications though. Data released by the federal agency last month shows that many people are dying while waiting to find out if they'll get benefits too.

Most Americans are required to make contributions to the SSA every pay period, so they'll be eligible for benefits later in life. Employees become eligible for SSD based on time working as well. We're supposed to be able to draw from the fund if we ever become too hurt or sick that we can't work. Many people don't realize until they need these benefits just how hard it is to qualify for them though.

If the United States Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has classified you as disabled, then you may wonder if you qualify for Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI). You might be able to receive both if your disabling condition prevents you from working in any capacity for any employer.

The VA has a different set of criteria that they use to determine if you're disabled from what the Social Security Administration (SSA) uses. The former simply looks at your military records. They'll review them to see what diseases or injuries you acquired while on active duty. They'll then assign you a disability rating from 0 to 100 depending on how disabled they perceive you to be. The benefits that you receive from the VA depends on your percent score.

A report titled "Functional Assessment for Adults with Disabilities" was published by researchers at The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine on May 9. Its authors concluded that too little focus is placed on assessing an applicant's work-related functional abilities when making Social Security disability determinations.

The report's authors found that doctors hired to evaluate Supplemental Security Income (SSI) or Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) recipients perform far too little mental and physical health testing. They note that it's important for them to take a more holistic approach when assessing how well they can function on the job.

There may come a point when you find that you're unable to work as the result of a disability. This should lead you to consider every available option for receiving compensation, including disability benefits from the Social Security Administration (SSA).

The SSA takes many factors into consideration when determining if you're eligible for Social Security Disability (SSD) benefits. Here are some things to keep in mind:

• The definition of disability: The SSA defines a disability as an illness or injury that has lasted 12 months or longer, is expected by reasonable medical standards to last for 12 or more months or is expected to result in death.
• Job responsibilities: The Social Security Administration (SSA) will determine if you are unable to work your current position, as well as any other type of employment.
• Severity of the impairment: The medical impairment, physical or mental, should be backed up by medical evidence. The SSA will determine if the impairment prohibits you from performing work activities, such as communicating with others, sitting, standing and using your best judgment.