Have you been wondering if you qualify for Social Security Disability Insurance benefits? Evans Disability has listed the telltale signs that you will be approved for disability.
Here are the top five signs that you will be approved for disability:
- You meet the technical non-medical eligibility requirements.
- You have a severe medical condition and substantial medical evidence.
- You meet the blue book listing.
- You will not be able to work for at least 12 months or more.
- You are working with a Social Security disability attorney.
Also Read: How to Win a Social Security Disability Claim
Here’s the breakdown for each of the signs your disability claim will be approved:
1. You Meet the Technical Non-Medical Eligibility Requirements.
To be approved for disability, you must meet both technical and medical rules to qualify. This means that you have worked, paid social security taxes, and have earned enough work credits to be eligible for disability insurance.
What are work credits?
Working and paying Social Security taxes earns work credits. You can earn up to 4 work credits a year. Under their rules, you will need to have at least 40 work credits to qualify for disability insurance benefits.
A question you can ask yourself to get an idea if you might have enough work credits is: “Have I worked at least five full-time years out of the last ten years and paid into Social Security consistently during that time?”
If the answer is yes, you likely have enough work credits to qualify. You can also always call your local Social Security office and ask. Find your local office here: SSA Office Locator. Also, if you are still working very part-time, you need to be within the income limits for Social Security disability insurance benefits.
This is called SGA, or Substantial Gainful Activity, which translates to income earned from work. Every year this amount changes to adjust for the national average wage index. For the year 2021, the monthly limit for SGA is $1310. For the year 2022, SGA is set at $1350. These amounts do change if you are blind. You can find the chart here: Social Security SGA Chart.
2. You Have a Severe Medical Condition and Substantial Medical Evidence.
When applying for disability, having medical evidence to support your claim is absolutely essential. It cannot be emphasized enough how important it is to have medical records and treatment for your claim. The Social Security Administration will use these records to assess the severity of your disabilities.
Records that will strengthen your disability insurance claim include:
- Record of medical history
- Diagnostic reports
- X-rays and CT scans
- Description of treatments
- Prescription drug receipts
It’s important to make sure to include relevant medical records. Meaning, you’ll want to include any records that pertain to the conditions and impairments you are claiming. Records from an injury ten years ago that has now healed and is not related to your disability are not necessary information to submit.
Also, having a supportive doctor willing to fill out a questionnaire or write a letter on your behalf about how your disabilities affect your ability to perform work can really make a huge difference in your case. When you are thinking about applying for disability, talking to your doctors for their support is excellent to do early on for your claim.
Also Read: Five Types of Disability. Knowing the claim type is key to understanding your SSA Award Letter.
3. You Meet the Social Security Blue Book Listing.
TheSocial Security Administration uses an official guide and listing of eligible medical conditions and diagnoses that the Social Security Administration uses to determine awarding disability benefits to individuals. It can make the difference in being approved for benefits or receiving a denial.
However, keep in mind that each case and each individual is different. A team of medical professionals and doctors that work for the Social Security Administration will evaluate your claim and conditions and determine how they affect your ability to perform work.
If they find that your conditions are severe enough to prevent you from performing work and earning an income, your claim has the momentum to be approved for benefits. You can look at their listing of impairments here: SSA’s Blue Book Listing.
4. You Are Expected to Be Out of Work for a Minimum of 12 Months or Longer.
When applying for Social Security disability insurance benefits, you claim you can no longer work or cannot work for an extended period of time because your conditions prevent you from performing work. This means you cannot do any of your past work or any other type of work.
The Social Security Administration will assess why you can’t go back to the job you had been doing before you were disabled, and they will also determine if you can do any other type of work.
The factors they will consider are age, educational attainment, and any skills you may have. They’ll also investigate at least 15 years of prior work history and may ask for copies of pay stubs or bank statements to prove you have been out of work for at least 12 months or longer.
5. You Are Working With a Social Security Disability Attorney.
With the Social Security Administration having a very high denial rate for disability benefits applicants, most successful claimants work with an attorney experienced in Social Security law who understands what it takes to get approved for disability benefits.
Since obtaining benefits can take up to two years on average, having an attorney help with your claim is beneficial throughout the process. The application can be confusing, and having an attorney help explain and walk you through it will make the process less daunting and frustrating. They will make sure that every portion is complete and accurate.
There are other questionnaires and paperwork that the Social Security Administration may request throughout your claim. Having an attorney who can explain things and help make sure required items are submitted in a timely fashion may ensure that your claim does not get denied due to technicalities, missing paperwork, or missed deadlines.
Not only will they make sure that your claim is tracking and not lost in the Social Security system with frequent status checks on your claim, but studies have shown that with an attorney’s help, you are three times more likely to be approved.
Summary
You meet the non-medical requirements and you have a severe condition with sufficient medical records. You meet the blue book listing, and you will not be able to work for at least 12 months or more. You have an attorney helping you with your claim.
Overall, applying for disability can be a long and frustrating process, but knowing the facts and understanding what will make your claim successful is a great place to start when preparing to apply for Social Security Disability Benefits.
Evans Disability is here to help guide you through these questions and the process. Contact our experienced Social Security Disability lawyers to help win your case!