No matter one’s age, living with a disability is challenging. While some individuals in Georgia and elsewhere are able to utilize accommodations and resources to help them live a normal life, others are unable to do so because of the severity of the disability and how the disability specifically impacts his or her life. Being unable to work can significantly impact the life of individuals, causing it to be necessary to seek Social Security Disability (SSD) benefits.
While most do not think that they could be disabled at any moment, the reality is that the average 20-year-old worker has a one-in-four chance of becoming disabled before he or she reaches retirement age. Thus, this makes SSD benefits something to understand, as it might be needed because of a sudden disabling injury or illness. This is especially true because SSD benefits replace part of one’s income if they are disabled and unable to work.
How does one prove the inability to work for SSD benefits? When seeking SSD benefits, an applicant must provide information about their work history. This includes information about their main responsibilities, the main tasks performed, the dates worked, the number of hours per week worked and the rate of pay received. Additional information could include tools, machinery and equipment used, the knowledge skills and abilities required, the extent of supervision, amount of independent judgment used, etc.
This information is used by the Social Security Administration to establish whether an applicant is not only disabled, but also suffering from a qualifying disability. If it is proven that an applicant is disabled and unable to work because of it, he or she could receive these necessary benefits. However, if a denial occurs, this might mean additional information is needed to make the application complete. Because it can be a detailed and lengthy process, it might be helpful to obtain legal guidance throughout the application and appeals process.
Source: Rapidcityjournal.com, “One fact you should know about disability,” Patty Hoffman, Oct. 31, 2017
