If a medical condition prevents you from performing your job to the level your employer expects, you may qualify for Social Security Disability (SSD) benefits under the U.S. Social Security Administration (SSA). Enlisting a skilled SSDI attorney to ensure your application is complete can help streamline the claims process.
The SSA does not pay benefits for short-term or partial disabilities, as programs such as workers’ compensation or insurance cover such situations. Contact a lawyer from the Sasser Law Firm to learn more about qualifying for SSD in Charlotte.
The SSA applies a specific definition of disability for benefit claims, including the following criteria:
You must also have worked in a job that the SSA recognizes as eligible for SSD. Because so many factors affect one’s qualification, enlisting assistance during the application process is essential. Our skilled attorneys have decades of combined experience helping Charlotte workers qualify for the SSD benefits they have earned.
The SSA also requires that you have worked long enough and recently enough to qualify for benefits. Work credits are calculated based on your annual wages or self-employment earnings. While the amount you must earn to receive work credits changes each year, you can earn one credit each quarter and up to four credits annually.
The number of credits you need depends on your age when you became disabled. Generally, you need 40 credits, with at least 20 earned during the 10 years before your disability began. This is known as the 20/40 rule. If you become disabled as a young worker, you may qualify with fewer credits.
During an initial consultation, our Charlotte attorneys can review your circumstances and guide you through the qualification process, explaining what you can expect to receive in Social Security disability benefits and when.
The SSA pays monthly benefits to those with a disability that prevents them from performing work for 12 consecutive months or more. There is usually a five-month waiting period, and your first disability payment will arrive in the sixth full month after the date the SSA determined your disability began. A doctor must certify this information. In some cases, the SSA may pay arrears for up to 12 months before your application if you qualify for SSD in Charlotte.
If you become disabled before retirement age, the SSA decides whether you qualify to receive monthly disability payments and, if so, how much. Because you must meet a specific definition of disability, have sufficient work credits, and the SSA must recognize your incapacity, eligibility rules for benefits can feel daunting.
You do not need to go through this process alone. Our compassionate attorneys at the Sasser Law Firm have decades of experience helping clients apply for SSD. We understand what needs doing, and we do it. If you are starting the process of qualifying for SSD in Charlotte, contact us now to schedule a case review.
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