Applying for Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) benefits can be a long process. Many people must appeal to get benefits. They may wait the better part of a year before they begin receiving payments from the Social Security Administration (SSA).
Typically, only those with medical conditions that prevent them from maintaining gainful employment and that are likely to last 12 months or longer are eligible for SSDI benefits. In some cases, applicants may actually be eligible for the Compassionate Allowances program.
Understanding Compassionate Allowances can be helpful for those seeking SSDI benefits, especially if they have especially debilitating or fatal conditions.
Compassionate Allowances provide fast approval
Many SSDI applicants wait weeks for an initial response and possibly months for an appeal. For those with conditions that may lead to a rapid worsening of symptoms or that are likely to prove fatal, their condition could worsen substantially by the time the SSA responds to their application.
The Compassionate Allowances program uses software to screen applications for specific medical conditions. There are dozens of different conditions and diseases considered severe enough to warrant faster benefit approval.
Conditions that worsen rapidly and that often result in death, such as late-stage cancer, can lead to applicants receiving benefits in a matter of days or weeks through the Compassionate Allowance program. The inclusion of the right language in initial paperwork is critical for those hoping to qualify for SSDI benefits as quickly as possible.
Working with an SSDI benefits lawyer can take much of the uncertainty out of the application process. The right language can help people obtain benefits more quickly and appeal successfully if the SSA denies their application initially.
