Is SSD the Only Type of Disability I Am Eligible to Receive?

If you were diagnosed with a disabling medical condition and are planning to apply for Social Security Disability (SSD) benefits, you may be wondering if you could also be eligible for other benefits. In short, your eligibility for other types of benefits will depend on your circumstances. Our national SSD eligibility attorneys can tell you more.

Determining Eligibility for Different Types of Public Benefits

Certain types of public disability benefits have similar requirements while others may have some overlapping requirements but other distinct requirements altogether. To be clear, just because you are eligible for one type of public disability benefit does not necessarily mean that you will be eligible for others, but eligibility for one type of benefit also does not necessarily preclude you from eligibility for other types of benefits.

To be eligible for SSDI benefits, you will first need to meet the medical requirement of proving that you have a medical condition that is expected to last for at least one year or to cause your death, and that your condition is severe enough that it prevents you from engaging in substantial gainful activity. Next, you will need to show that you have enough “credits” to be eligible for SSDI payments, which means you must have worked for a long enough time and recently enough  —  usually to have 20 credits, earning a maximum of 4 credits per year.

Other types of public or federal benefits, including workers’ compensation coverage, Office of Personnel Management (OPM) disability retirement, veterans disability benefits, and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits are all types of benefits for which a person may be eligible, but each has its own set of requirements. To determine your eligibility for SSDI or another type of public or federal benefit, it is important to seek legal advice.

Eligibility Does Not Necessarily Mean You Can Receive the Full Amount of All Types of Benefits for Which You Are Eligible

It is important to know that being eligible for more kinds of disability benefits beyond SSDI payments does not necessarily mean that you will be able to receive the full amount of benefits for which you may appear to be eligible. SSDI, workers’ compensation, and OPM benefits may be offset so that you do not receive over a certain amount set by law.

Generally speaking, a person generally can receive the full amount of veterans benefits and SSDI, as well as the full amount of SSDI and any private disability benefits for which they may be eligible through a private employer. To determine if any of your benefits will be offset by SSDI or another type of disability benefit, you should discuss your specific circumstances with an attorney who can help.

Contact Our National SSD Eligibility Lawyers for Assistance Determining Your Eligibility and Obtaining Benefits

Whether you are just getting started on the SSD process and need help determining your eligibility, or you have eligibility questions and need to appeal after being denied benefits by the SSA, one of our experienced national SSD eligibility lawyers at the Law Offices of Stephen Barszcz can help. We can speak with you today about your specific circumstances, including details about your medical condition and work history, and we can help you to move forward with an initial SSD application or an appeal. Contact our firm to learn more about how we can assist you.

Source:

ssa.gov/pubs/EN-05-10018.pdf