What You Should Know About Social Security Disability

The Springdale, AR, Social Security disability lawyers at the Law Offices of Jason M. Hatfield, P.A. have put together a video outlining important information for injured workers who are considering applying for Social Security Disability Insurance benefits. 𝐒𝐨𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐥 𝐒𝐞𝐜𝐮𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐃𝐢𝐬𝐚𝐛𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐁𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐟𝐢𝐭𝐬 𝐂𝐚𝐧 𝐁𝐞 𝐃𝐢𝐟𝐟𝐢𝐜𝐮𝐥𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐎𝐛𝐭𝐚𝐢𝐧 Applying for Social Security disability benefits might seem like it would be easy, but that is not always the case. Due to the various rules and regulations that limit who qualifies for benefits, proving an SSDI claim is more challenging than many applicants realize. In fact, many applicants find it difficult to discern exactly what they need to prove to qualify for benefits. However, despite the difficulties in obtaining benefits, in 2020, 9.5 million people qualified for and received Social Security Disability Insurance benefits totaling nearly $11.6 billion. Eighty-nine percent of these benefits were paid to disabled workers. That same year, the Social Security Administration terminated benefits for 892,811 recipients. 𝐓𝐲𝐩𝐞𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐒𝐨𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐥 𝐒𝐞𝐜𝐮𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐃𝐢𝐬𝐚𝐛𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐁𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐟𝐢𝐭𝐬 The Social Security Administration is the federal agency that oversees all Social Security benefits. There are two different types of Social Security benefits available to Arkansas residents. 𝐒𝐨𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐥 𝐒𝐞𝐜𝐮𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐃𝐢𝐬𝐚𝐛𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐈𝐧𝐬𝐮𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐁𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐟𝐢𝐭𝐬 Social Security Disability Insurance (“SSDI”) is an entitlement program for individuals who are experiencing disability and have paid into the Social Security system for at least ten years. The amount of SSDI benefits someone receives depends on their lifetime earnings at the time they became disabled. To qualify for SSDI benefits, you must have a qualifying disability. 𝐖𝐡𝐨 𝐐𝐮𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐟𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐒𝐒𝐃𝐈 𝐁𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐟𝐢𝐭𝐬? SSDI benefits are available to disabled workers who are under the age of 65 and have sufficient “work credits.” Work credits are earned by maintaining a job and paying into the Social Security program. Once you qualify for SSDI benefits, you will receive monthly benefits that can be used to cover your daily living expenses, such as food, transportation and utility bills. 𝐃𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐚𝐧 𝐒𝐒𝐃𝐈 𝐃𝐞𝐧𝐢𝐚𝐥 There are many reasons why the SSA might deny your claim for SSDI benefits. Denials can occur at any stage of the process, so it is important to ensure your application is complete when submitted. However, there are procedures in place that allow for denied applicants to seek reconsideration or even an appeal. The steps to filing SSDI benefits may include the following: 1. Submit the initial SSDI application. 2. Request reconsideration. 3. Attend a hearing in front of an Administrative Law Judge (“ALJ”) 4. Review by the Appeals Council. 5. Review by a federal court. While it’s possible that a claim proceeds smoothly and benefits are paid in a timely manner. Denials are not uncommon. Each stage of the Arkansas SSDI application process has a different denial rate. Once an application reaches an ALJ, it can be approved, and benefits can be paid. For example, below are the most current approximate SSDI approval rates: 𝐼𝑛𝑖𝑡𝑖𝑎𝑙 𝐴𝑝𝑝𝑙𝑖𝑐𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛 𝑓𝑜𝑟 𝑆𝑆𝐷𝐼 𝐵𝑒𝑛𝑒𝑓𝑖𝑡𝑠 Approved: 30.3 percent Denied: 69.7 percent 𝑅𝑒𝑞𝑢𝑒𝑠𝑡 𝑓𝑜𝑟 𝑅𝑒𝑐𝑜𝑛𝑠𝑖𝑑𝑒𝑟𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛 Approved: 8.7 percent Denied: 91.3 percent 𝐴𝐿𝐽 𝐻𝑒𝑎𝑟𝑖𝑛𝑔 Approved: 49.6 percent Denied: 50.4 percent 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐒𝐒𝐀 𝐄𝐯𝐚𝐥𝐮𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐜𝐞𝐬𝐬 The SSA created an evaluation process to determine if an applicant has a qualifying disability. Some of the questions that are asked during this process include: • Are you currently working or engaged in a substantially gainful activity? • Is your physical or mental health condition severe? • Does your medical condition meet the severity of one of the disability listings? • Can you do any of the work you’ve done in the past? • Can you make adjustments so you can perform other work? 𝐀𝐫𝐞 𝐘𝐨𝐮 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐀𝐩𝐩𝐥𝐲𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐒𝐒𝐃𝐈 𝐁𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐟𝐢𝐭𝐬? If you are currently experiencing a severe disability that impacts your ability to work, or you’ve been experiencing a disability for the past year, you may be entitled to SSDI benefits. However, the process of applying for SSDI benefits is complex, and applicants frequently encounter roadblocks along the way that can delay their benefits or even prevent them from qualifying. An Arkansas Social Security disability lawyer can help applicants through the process to ensure the best possible chance of success. At the Law Office of Jason M. Hatfield, PA, we offer all disabled workers a free consultation to inform them of their rights and help them navigate the SSDI application process. Law Office of Jason M. Hatfield, P.A. 1025 E Don Tyson Pkwy Springdale, AR 72764 (479) 361-3575 400 N 6th St, Suite 2 Fort Smith, AR 72902 (479) 777-1206 #SSDI #SocialSecurityDisabilityBenefits #SSDIBenefits #DisabledWorkerBenefits #DisabiltyBenefits