Important Paperwork That You Need to Fill Out When Applying for SSDI

The Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) program is a Social Security program that provides monthly benefits to approved disability claimants on the basis of their medical condition or “disability” and their inability to work because of it. 

You must have worked long enough to earn work credits to become eligible for SSDI benefits. You must also have a physical or mental condition that is expected to last for at least a year or longer and that prevents you from doing manual work.

When applying for SSDI benefits, it is important that you first establish your disability claim. You may start by gathering information about your medical condition and your employment history.

Your doctor’s statements regarding your limitations, as well as your clinical and lab test results and record of your previous employments, will greatly help the SSA in deciding whether or not you are eligible for disability benefits.

In establishing a disability claim, it is not enough that you provide the abovementioned records and documents. You must also take time in filling out paperwork provided by the SSA. This will help the federal agency understand more about your overall situation as well as help them in deciding if you are eligible for benefits or not.

Here are the three forms that constitute the needed paperwork that you must accomplish and submit together with your medical and employment records:

·         Application for Disability Insurance Benefits (Form SSA-16-F6)

It is important that you fully accomplish this form, as this will inform the SSA that you are applying for SSDI benefits. The form contains basic information, as well as questions that seek brief answers.

·         Adult Disability Report Form (SSA Form 3368-BK)

This 14-page document contains detailed questions that tackle your past employment, educational attainment, medications that you take, and your medical treatment. The first two pages of the document give you instructions on how to fully accomplish the document. The accomplished form will serve as your input in providing the SSA with information regarding your disability and your inability to work.

·         Social Security Disability Medical Authorization (Form SSA-827)

Accomplishing this form means that you are allowing health care providers, educational institutions, insurance providers, and other individuals to provide to the SSA any important records, such as medical documents, necessary for evaluating your claim.

Documents that Applicants Would Need for Social Security Disability Claims

A former worker who has met an accident or infirmity that led him or her to stop working may find assistance through the social security disability benefits. This is a collective term used to describe the two programs under the Social Security Administration (SSA). Through the social security disability benefits, surely any granted application would help a former worker to compensate for their losses and even get them through costly medication. 

Moreover, if the applicant was severely disabled and couldn’t afford to go to the Social Security Administration’s (SSA) office, he or she may apply through the website of the aforementioned government agency. It is already a thing of the past to go to government agencies by foot, today, through the internet transactions are made in real time at the comfort of one’s own home. Normally like any other program or policy that is given by the government, there shall be of course requirements that needed to be fulfilled to avail the claim, they include the following:

Requirements

Before giving all of the things that are written under the list, it is vital to first know if the applicant is able to get the considerable amount of tax requirements as well as the length of working tenure to qualify. Here is the list of the documents that would be needed in being able to apply for the social security disability:

• Social security number of the applicant as well as their immediate family members
• Birth certificate as a proof of citizenship
• The bank account number wherein the benefits will be placed once approved
• The applicant must be 18 years old above
• The person applying must be disabled for the past 12 months or more.
• If the one who applies came from the military service and got the disability there, he or she shall need the DD 214 Form or the Military Service Discharge Information.
• Those who are formerly employed shall need the W-2 Form or IRS 1040 from the last year. If it so happens that the applicant is self employed they will need the Schedules C and SE.

Social Security Claim: The Basics

It is important for you to know the basics of a Social Security claim before you submit one. You must know what disability programs are available for you, as well as certain requirements that you must follow in order for you claim to be approved by the Social Security Administration (SSA).

There are two disability programs that are available for you to qualify for benefits on the basis of disability. The first one is the Social Security Disability Insurance(SSDI), which provides monthly benefits and medical assistance to workers who had sufficient amount of working hours based on age before getting disabled and unable to do substantial work activities.

The second one is the Supplemental Security Income(SSI). This program is for those who have limited sources and income. Monthly benefits are given not only to disabled persons, but also for the elderly aged 65 and older and the blind.

To qualify for disability benefits, you must be aware of the following factors:

·         Your substantial gainful activity must be lower than the standard set by the SSA. For 2012, you must have earned lower than $1,010.

·         Your disability should last or has lasted for at least a year. That way, you’ll be considered as having a long-term disability.

·         Your disability should be listed in the SSA’s List of Impairments. If it is so, you are automatically considered disabled and eligible for either SSDI or SSI.

·         Your disability should limit your abilities in performing activities of daily living or ADL.

·         Your disability should hinder you from doing your current work, your job in the past, or your job in which your skills can be transferred.

If you want help in gathering medical evidence and employment records to strengthen your claim, you must not hesitate to hire any of the available Social Security disability attorneys in your area. The expertise of such a lawyer can be of great help for you.

Organization of Medical Evidences for Social Security Disability Benefits

Medical records are  important parts of the long and tedious work in the process of applying for Social Security disability benefits. Since the purpose of Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) is to provide monthly benefits for the workers who cannot  work because of a disability, it is just right for the applicant to submit medical records in their claim.

 It is a nagging headache for many applicants to try to secure medical records needed by the claims examiner in  their local Social Security Administration (SSA) office for review. When the claims examiner evaluates the  medical records, he or she must be presented with both old and new records.

The old records will contain the date the applicant became disabled, the medications that he or she has to take, and how the medications are effective. On the other hand, new records will prove that he or she is still disabled and that his or her medical condition is considered long-term and severe enough. If  the medical condition is severe enough, then the applicant is most likely to be given either SSDI or SSI benefits.

Gathering medical evidences for the applicant’s disability claim would mean making  a lot of telephone calls from medical providers who handle his or her records. Here are some of the ways in which the applicant can be organized amidst the  confusing and  dreary activity:

·          The applicant must keep a calendar wherein he or she can write information for each date. That way, the applicant can put into writing certain deadlines and appointments.

·          The applicant must keep a telephone log. A small or medium-sized notebook would do to record the calls he or she has made or received regarding medical records or any other matters in relation to the Social Security process.

For the applicant to further increase his chances of gathering medical evidences and go on with the process of the claims, he or she  should hire a California disability attorney.

Survivors of Accidents Applying for Disability Benefits

 California residents need to look out for the occurrences of mishaps in their area. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) there  are  3,081 cases of traffic crashes in the state of California alone. This means that there is a big probability of mishaps in the area that may in turn endanger its residents. One of the pointed causes of this  is the heightened road activity within the area brought  by tourism. Most likely, those who survive the event may sustain injuries that  make them unable to work for a long time. In this instance, it would be better if they try applying for social security disability benefits.

This is through an independent agency namely the Social Security Administration (SSA). The fund for the programs under this comes from the taxes of employees themselves. Therefore, it is their right to have access to this in times of need. However, it is known that the SSA is strict on approving those who are applying for social security disability benefits. In this case, it would be better to hire the services of a lawyers specializing in disability benefits. On the other hand, the aforementioned agency upholds the following rules, which could be used  as guide by the applicants:

• 18 years old and above
• Able to pay an ample amount of Social Security tax through working
•  Not been able to work for at least 12 months and the disability could lead to death
• Living in the United States or one of its territories

There are a lot of things a lawyer can do to help those who need their help.  Their services may seem trivial to many but tending to undermine this might lead to similar cases in which people get rejected. These professionals work as counsels for their clients and opt to prove the government agency that they truly have a disability. Meeting deadlines as well as providing evidences are just some of the many things that lawyers could be of big help.

The Social Security Disability Insurance: Alleviating Fear of the Long-Term Effects of Disability

 

People are always frightened with the fact of getting disabled and being unable to work. Sadly, they must live up to that fact that there is a three in ten chances that a person would be disabled before reaching the age of 20. If not being able to provide their family with basic needs or getting medication to be able to work again constitutes as fear, they ought to have social security disability insurance.

Through the help of the Social Security Administration (SSA), people could now be well taken care of and provided with their much-needed medications in case they encounter an accident.  The SSA is tasked for this particular purpose by the federal government.

 The social security disability insurance in particular is focused on adding former employees through monetary or service-based support. This all comes from the taxes that these workers also pay while they were still working. However, one requirement is that the person must have worked long enough to be able to provide Social Security tax contributions.

Family members can be then listed as the beneficiaries of the said program. Moreover, any employee can get a claim to this if they have obtained medical condition that lasts up to year, is fatal to cause death and prevents them from working. Here are the other basic requirements that are needed:

• Did not leave the country for about 30 successive days
• Has limited income and resources
• Has filed an application for SSDI
• Has been sick for equal or more than 12 months
• A citizen of the United States

Nonetheless, these employees should be warned that there is a possibility that their claim would be rejected. There are actually high probabilities to this and through the years many have been regretful that they have not sought the aid of a social security lawyer before undergoing the claiming process.