If you have recently developed a serious illness or suffered a serious injury, you may be unable to work. Without a paycheck, it may be difficult to afford the care you need in addition to the regular costs of daily life.
Social Security Disability benefits exist to replace the income lost when you are unable to work due to a disability. In order to qualify for these benefits, physicians must expect your illness or injury to last for at least one full year.
Apply and prove eligibility
Apply for Social Security Disability benefits by filling out the formal application. Along with the application, you should supply as much medical evidence of your illness or injury as possible. Medical records, lab reports and copies of imaging are all essential. A letter from your treating physician describing your illness or injury and prognosis is very important.
You will also need to provide your own description of your illness or injury and how it impacts your daily life. Be detailed and honest about the limitations you are experiencing. Describe your job and how your illness or injury prevents you from performing.
Continue treatment
Keep up with all regularly scheduled appointments regarding your treatment. Be diligent about attending medical appointments, physical therapy appointments and counseling appointments. See your doctor as often as needed and describe your illness or injury to them in detail. Records from these appointments will aid your application.
In some cases, you may be incorrectly denied benefits even though you are eligible. You may have failed to provide enough information or provided it incorrectly. You may have made a mistake on the application. If you believe your claim has been incorrectly denied, find out the reason for denial, and promptly file an appeal with corrected information. Many claims that are initially denied become successful on appeal.
