Individuals who apply for Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) benefits generally have debilitating medical conditions that have eliminated their earning potential. These individuals may not have very much money in savings, which means that losing their primary...
Social Security Disability
How does the SSA define a disability?
If you are hurt or develop an illness that renders you incapable Of working, you may be eligible for the Social Security Disability (SSD) benefits. Managed by the Social Security Administration (SSA), these benefits are meant to help beneficiaries pay bills,...
What are invisible disabilities?
One of the most common misunderstandings around disabilities is that they are always plainly visible to others. This can lead to some confusion where people won’t be able to see any evidence of a disability, and so they will believe that person is not, in fact,...
Have you worked for long enough to qualify for SSDI?
Although you may not have saved anything you've earned, you've slowly been making contributions toward your own retirement or disability support since your first job. Even when you were a part-time worker at the local ice cream shop back in high school, a portion of...
Can substance abuse prevent you from getting SSDI?
Millions of Americans suffer from substance abuse issues involving drugs and/or alcohol. While substance abuse can certainly be highly detrimental to a person’s health, it’s also possible to have a medical condition or disability that is unrelated to that problem. So...
How to answer when the ALJ asks, “Why can’t you work?”
When you have a Hearing with the Administrative Law Judge (ALJ) coming up where you hope to successfully plead your case for Social Security Disability (SSD) benefits, it helps to be prepared. Since the ALJ will already have your case file (with all your medical...
The role of medical evidence in your SSD case
If you're involved in a Social Security Disability case, perhaps because you're trying to get the benefits that you believe you deserve, the government has to agree that you are suffering from a long-term disability. This has to last for at least 12 months. You can...
Can cancer qualify you for SSDI benefits?
Finding out that you have cancer is probably one of the scariest experiences possible at a doctor's office. Cancer can kill you, although advances in modern medicine have drastically reduced cancer-related fatalities in recent decades. Even if treatment is...
How do I appeal an SSD denial?
Social Security Disability (SSD) is a federal benefits program that offers monthly payments to eligible individuals who are no longer able to work thanks to their health challenges. These payments can make all the difference when you are burdened by medical bills and...
How common are SSD wrongful denials?
The myth that there are a lot of able-bodied people sitting around collecting Social Security Disability (SSD) benefits has been around for a long time -- and there’s absolutely no truth to it. The vast majority of Social Security Disability applications are denied,...