Social Security Disability
Some information about the Social Security Disability
If you are unable to work because of an injury or illness, you may be entitled to receive Social Security Disability benefits. In order to obtain Social Security Disability benefits, you must show that you are (or expect to be) unable to perform any job that exists in significant numbers in the national economy for a period of at least twelve (12) months.
You also have to meet certain earning requirements. Social Security Disability benefits are only available to people who have worked and paid into the Social Security system (through FICA), for at least twenty (20) of the prior forty (40) quarters, before the start of the alleged disability. After receiving Social Security Disability benefits for two years, you become eligible to receive Medicare. It is possible to collect both Social Security Disability and workers’ compensation benefits at the same time subject to the limitation that the combined benefits cannot exceed eighty percent (80%) of the workers average monthly wage prior to the injury.
In the event that you do not work or have otherwise not achieved the earning requirements necessary to obtain Social Security Disability benefits, you may be entitled to receive “Supplemental Security Income”. Supplemental Security Income requires the same showing of disability as Social Security Disability but just does not have the earning requirements. Supplemental Security Income typically does not pay as much as one could obtain under Social Security Disability and has other limitations as well regarding Medicare, family benefits and other income or resources.
If you believe that you are entitled to receive Social Security Disability benefits, please call for a free a consultation so that we may show you how we can assist you in the recovery of these benefits.