Total Disability - The Standard You Must Meet
What evidence do you need to show to the Social Security Administration (SSA) to prove that you are totally disabled under the law?
In order to qualify for Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) or Supplemental Security Income (SSI), you must meet certain basic criteria. These benefits are available only to people who are permanently and totally disabled; they are not available to people who are partially or temporarily disabled.
At the law office of Jeffrey A. Rabin & Associates, our lawyers help people obtain SSDI and SSI benefits from our offices throughout Chicago and northern Illinois.
To be successful, you must demonstrate to the SSA three things:
- You are unable to do the same work as before your disease
- Your medical conditions prevent you from adjusting to other work
- This medical condition is expected to last at least one year or cause death
The Step-by-Step Approach in Determining Your Eligibility
The process of determining whether a person's medical condition is totally disabling can be complex. The SSA will examine a host of evidence about your health and employment. It is important to work with a medical specialist to create a record of your condition. Seeing your primary care doctor may not be sufficient; he or she may not be able to provide a sufficiently credible opinion on your total disability.
The questions that the SSA asks when you seek Social Security are:
- Are you currently working? You have to be earning, on average, less than Social Security's current definition of work.
- Are you suffering from a severe medical condition? Your condition must interfere with your basic work-related activities.
- Does your condition meet or equal the listing of disabling conditions?
- Can you do the work that you previously did? If you can, you may not be eligible for benefits.
- Are you able to perform any other type of work? If you can, you may be eligible for benefits.
At the law firm of Jeffrey A. Rabin & Associates, we have five convenient locations throughout northern Illinois to serve you. To learn more about filing for Social Security Disability Insurance, contact our attorneys today.
