Let’s face it. Most of us don’t have a emergency fund to cover our everyday expenses if we were to be hurt on the job. Even if we did, it would only carry us for or so long.
If any of us were to suffer a particularly debilitating injury making it impossible for us to work, then we’d likely have to hope that our illness or injury were serious enough to warrant receiving Social Security disability insurance (SSDI). This would be particularly important if we didn’t have private short- or long-term coverage.
Some eight million Americans receive SSDI; however, an estimated 142 million others have spent enough time contributing to Social Security to qualify for the benefits if their situation warranted it. The average amount that a disabled worker receives each month is $1,148. This equates to just under $14,000 per year.
There are strict eligibility requirements that you must meet in order to qualify to receive SSDI. You must be able to demonstrate that you’re no longer capable of working in your previous occupation. Your may also be required to prove that you’re unable to acquire the necessary skills or physically handle a role in a different field.
Being able to show that your condition is so severe that returning to work during the next year is impossible is also a necessity.
You injury must be deemed to be both permanent and complete in order to qualify to receive SSDI. Additionally, once it’s determined that you have, there’s a waiting period of five months from your filing date before you’re eligible to begin receiving SSDI benefits.
Some conditions, such as blindness, do not require an individual having to document his or her inability to work as do other, newly diagnosed conditions.
If you happen to have private disability insurance, then this type of coverage tends to be much more broad in terms of the disabling conditions it may cover. Receiving SSDI does not preclude you from also receiving your private disability payments, although it may be deducted from what your personal carrier pays out.
In learning more about the circumstances surrounding your impairment, a Trenton, Michigan Social Security Disability Insurance attorney can advise you of your rights to receive payments in your own situation.
Source: FindLaw, “Private disability insurance vs. SSDI,” accessed March 09, 2018