Employees in Florida are entitled to benefit from the federal government’s program that is designed as a protection for workers against the loss of their abilities to earn gainful incomes as the result of complete disability. However, there may be questions about eligibility for Social Security disability benefits. When are people considered as disabled?
As soon as a claim for Social Security disability benefits is filed, the Social Security Administration will determine the eligibility of the applicant. Information that will be used for this purpose includes age, marital status, employment and information of existing Social Security coverage. This will be followed by an evaluation to determine the level of disability.
The SSA’s definition of disability is a long-term medical condition — either physical or mental — that renders the individual unable to do any type of work that could be regarded as substantial gainful activity. The SSA will check whether the person is unable to perform the job he or she did before becoming disabled, and also whether the individual will be unable to do any other work. Furthermore, the disability must have lasted for at least 12 continuous months, or the prognosis must indicate that the medical condition is expected to end in death.
Social Security disability benefits exclusively cover conditions that qualify as total disability. Short-term or partial disabilities are not covered, and substantiating documentation from doctors and specialists might be required. Any Florida resident who has to cope with the complicated process of filing for SSDI benefits may be overwhelmed at such a difficult time. For that reason, some seek the help of an attorney who is experienced in this field and prepared to navigate the process of obtaining benefits for them.
Source: FindLaw, “SSDI & SSI: Definition of ‘Disabled’“, Accessed on July 8, 2017