1956 marked a turning point in American history. It was during that year that the Social Security Act was amended to include those with disabilities. Initially, the amendment only covered those over 50, but has since been expanded to include people of all ages.
Today, more than 10% of Americans are on some kind of disability. With so many people receiving and applying for disability benefits, the waiting period has gotten quite long. If only there was a way to know if you’d be approved, life would be much easier.
While there’s no surefire way to know how things will turn out, there are a few signs that you will be approved for disability. We’ll discuss a few of them here.
1. Work History
When discussing disability benefits, the question comes up as to the veracity of a person’s disability and how limiting it is. One of the ways to determine this is to look at a person’s work history.
Somebody who has worked regularly and consistently until their disability began is probably not faking or exaggerating. The job doesn’t need to be full-time or even particularly strenuous. You just need a steady job history to prove you’re willing to work, if you can.
2. Significant Medical Evidence
Disability tends to leave a paper trail. Anybody who has suffered a debilitating injury or otherwise acquired a disability has probably sought medical care for it.
Any medical care a person gets ends up in their medical records, as does any condition the person is diagnosed with. If you have a condition that meets disability criteria, it will be on your record. This is good news because the government will ask for relevant medical records when determining your eligibility.
If you don’t have these records, the Social Security Office will contact your doctor. Be prepared to answer some basic questions about your condition.
3. You Have a Disability Lawyer
The American legal system is complicated, and having someone who understands its inner workings on your side is a big advantage. A disability lawyer can help you navigate the Social Security system and gives credibility to your disability application.
Lawyers make you seem more credible because lawyers have an ethical responsibility and professional standards that prevent them from taking fraudulent cases.
4. You’ve Been Out-of-Work for a Year
It works to your advantage if you’ve been out of work for at least a year. Combining financial stress with medical records and a long work history helps to establish that you can’t work anymore.
If you can’t work anymore, don’t worry. The government has planned social security raises for 2024, so you shouldn’t have too much trouble supporting yourself.
Signs That You Will Be Approved for Disability
While it’s almost impossible to predict how your application will go, some things make approval more likely. We’ve discussed a few signs that you will be approved for disability here, including your work history and medical evidence, but more than anything else, you need to have a disability lawyer helping you.
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