How Do I Qualify for Social Security Disability?

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Perhaps you are seeking a work visa or investor visa. Perhaps you want to bring your fiancée, spouse...

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If you have an impairment that prevents you from working, you may be eligible for benefits under Social...

If you were injured in a car accident, you might be entitled to compensatory damages from the party who...

You may be entitled to compensation for injuries caused by another party’s negligence or wrongdoing....

Perhaps you are seeking a work visa or investor visa. Perhaps you want to bring your fiancée, spouse...

When facing serious criminal charges, you need to understand your legal rights and all the potential...

If you have an impairment that prevents you from working, you may be eligible for benefits under Social...

If you were injured in a car accident, you might be entitled to compensatory damages from the party who...

You may be entitled to compensation for injuries caused by another party’s negligence or wrongdoing....

Perhaps you are seeking a work visa or investor visa. Perhaps you want to bring your fiancée, spouse...

When facing serious criminal charges, you need to understand your legal rights and all the potential...

If you have an impairment that prevents you from working, you may be eligible for benefits under Social...

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If you were injured in a car accident, you might be entitled to compensatory damages from the party who...

You may be entitled to compensation for injuries caused by another party’s negligence or wrongdoing....

Perhaps you are seeking a work visa or investor visa. Perhaps you want to bring your fiancée, spouse...

When facing serious criminal charges, you need to understand your legal rights and all the potential...

If you have an impairment that prevents you from working, you may be eligible for benefits under Social...

Geocoding Error Occured.

Tried to Geocode:

Error Type:

Please be sure to follow the tutorial on how to setup the Google APIs required for the Advanced Google Map Widget.

We all need to be able to work so we can financially support ourselves and our loved ones. If we become severely disabled because of an accident; for example, a serious car accident, or because of a workplace accident, or because of a disease, it can become impossible to work and earn a living. This is where Social Security Disability comes in.

With Social Security Disability (SSD), workers pay into the program with their Social Security taxes. While SSD is a valuable program, not everyone qualifies. In order to qualify for SSD benefits, not only do you have to have a disabling medical condition that will last at least one year or result in death, but you must have worked long enough in jobs where you paid sufficient Social Security taxes.

Unlike most workers’ compensation programs, disability benefits do not come with a maximum number of checks you can receive, or a “maximum set number of weeks” where you can receive benefits for a limited time. Instead, disability benefits generally last until the worker is well enough to resume working on a regular basis.

The Social Security Administration also has special rules known as “work incentives” that allow a worker to receive continued healthcare coverage and benefits as they transition back to work. This makes it easier for workers to get back on their feet at their own pace.

What Are the Basic Requirements?

Let’s take a look at the basic requirements for receiving disability benefits:

• You must have worked long enough to obtain benefits. If you only worked for a couple years, you may not qualify.
• You must have worked long enough in jobs that contributed to Social Security. For example, if you didn’t pay into the Social Security system, you probably would not be entitled to benefits.
• You must meet the Social Security Administration’s definition of a disability. Meaning, you must be disabled for at least a year or your condition will result in death. Plus, your condition must be serious enough where you can’t do easier work.
• You must have earned enough work credits, whether you were an employee or self-employed, or both.

To learn more about work credits, we recommend reading the SSA’s publication entitled, “How You Earn Credits.” To apply for disability benefits, contact The Zen Law Firm to speak with a Dallas Social Security Disability attorney.