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Common Questions About SSD Benefits

Below are some questions that our clients at KBAR Legal Services, LLP, frequently ask us during initial consultations about Social Security Disability (SSD).

If you need personalized information about any SSD topic, we offer a free initial consultation. Our lawyers will gladly sit down with you and discuss your concerns. With an office in Carmel, KBAR Legal Services, LLP, serves clients throughout the Indianapolis area and central, western and Southern Indiana.

What Kinds Of Disabilities May Qualify An Applicant For SSD?

The answer is not always simple, but here are several common areas of physical and mental disabilities affecting people who have qualified for SSD:

  • Musculoskeletal disorders such as amputations and bone or joint deformities
  • Special sense disorders such as loss of vision, hearing or the ability to speak
  • Respiratory disorders such as asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder (COPD)
  • Cardiovascular disorders such as heart disease
  • Digestive disorders such as liver disease or gastrointestinal tract hemorrhaging
  • Mental disabilities such as schizophrenia, bipolar disorder or a serious anxiety disorder

The list above is not comprehensive but is rather illustrative of the many types of disabilities that may indicate that someone cannot work as they did before.

Can I Get Disability Benefits After Age 50?

If you are disabled and are over the age of 50, the Social Security Administration (SSA) will take a realistic look at your age, education and experience in determining whether you are able to work given your health condition. As a result, many people find it relatively easy to qualify for disability benefits when they are past age 50 but younger than retirement age. However, those with college degrees may find this to be a greater challenge since SSA may assume that educated people can more likely do sedentary jobs in spite of disabilities.

What Are Social Security Disability Compassionate Allowances?

The Social Security Administration provides compassionate allowances to allow applicants with certain severe medical conditions to obtain disability benefits quickly. Examples of compassionate allowance conditions include cancer, traumatic brain injury, Alzheimer’s disease and autoimmune diseases.

Why Are So Many SSD Applications Initially Denied?

Applicants often do not know how to document their disabilities adequately. Others do not provide convincing proof that they meet the work history requirements or other criteria. Also, perhaps the SSA gives a more thorough look at appeals than to initial applications.

After An Injury Or The Onset Of A Chronic Illness, Should I Seek Long-Term Disability (LTD) Insurance Benefits Or SSD?

For an answer that is most appropriate to your unique circumstances, contact a disability law attorney as soon as possible. You may learn that you qualify for LTD benefits and should apply for them. You may also learn that to receive those benefits, you must also apply for SSD if your disability will last 12 months or longer.

What Is The Continuing Disability Review (CDR)?

The SSA will periodically review your medical condition to determine if you are still disabled. These reviews may happen approximately every three years. If the SSA no longer considers you disabled, it will stop your benefits. In this event, you should contact an attorney as soon as possible.

Are There Benefits For Children Or Widows?

If you qualify for Social Security Disability benefits, your children may also be entitled to benefits if they are:

  • Unmarried and under the age of 18
  • Between the ages of 18 to 19 and a full-time high school student
  • 18 or older with a disability that started before age 22

If your spouse has died, you may be entitled to disability benefits based on your work history if you are:

  • Between the ages of 50 and 60
  • Disabled
  • Suffering from a disability that started within seven years of the decedent’s death

Your child may also qualify for benefits after the retirement or death of either parent.

If I Qualify For SSD Benefits But Am Approaching Retirement Age, What Should I Do?

You may qualify for retirement benefits in just a few years – but you may find it difficult to keep working until then because of a disability. Should you apply for SSD benefits or just wait and apply for retirement benefits? To put your mind at ease, turn to an experienced SSD attorney who can help you crunch the numbers and weigh in factors such as the difference in what you can receive at age 62 versus later, and whether you also qualify for widow or widower benefits. There is truly no cookie-cutter answer but a review of your unique circumstances can help make your path clear.

Get Answers To Your Questions About SSD

To schedule a consultation about disability benefits, call KBAR Legal Services, LLP, at 317-550-3586 in the Indianapolis area.

You can also reach an attorney at our firm by completing our simple contact form.