There are many questions and complexities that can arise when looking at Social Security disability cases. In general, if you have worked, and therefore paid enough money into the Social Security system over a certain amount of time, you may qualify for SSD benefits if all other requirements are met. However, it can involve a lengthy and complex process. Having an attorney at your side to represent your interests can be helpful, in some cases.
One question that can come up quite often when people are considering what is the right path towards benefits for them is the difference between SSD benefits and private insurance. One important consideration is the Social Security Administration’s strict definitions of total disability. Those who meet these strict definitions may be given many important protections by Social Security disability insurance.
Around 30 percent of employees are afforded disability insurance by their employer. However, SSD benefits can be useful to those who cannot afford private disability insurance and have put in a sufficient amount of work time while contributing to Social Security. On average, a disabled worker receives $1,148 a month, which totals to around $13,776 a year. But a person has to meet certain criteria in order to receive these payments.
One such criteria is that the person must be no longer able to work at their previous job. They must also be unable to make the necessary adjustments to adapt to a new work environment. And the person must be prevented from entering the workforce for at least one year.
Knowing the ins and outs of SSD benefits can be a challenge. But it is not a challenge that claimants have to face alone. There are attorneys available who can help claimants make sense of the nuances and navigate the often complex legal environment.
Source: FindLaw, “Private disability insurance vs. SSDI,” Accessed on March 27, 2017