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How long a disability has to last for SSDI benefits

On Behalf of | Oct 16, 2020 | SSD - Retirement |

One option that injured workers sometimes have is to claim benefits through Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI). This is different than other benefits in a few key ways, one of which is the relatively narrow scope of the qualifying injuries. Another difference is how long that disability is expected to last.

After all, not all disabilities are permanent, even though that is what many people assume when addressing the issue. Someone could suffer a back injury which means they can’t work for six months, rendering them disabled, but they may recover enough in that time to start working again.

The aim is different with SSDI. Per the Social Security Administration, these benefits become available is when the disability is predicted to end with the person’s passing or “expected to last at least 12 months.” These are long-term issues that may mean a person cannot earn a living wage again or that they will see a year’s worth of financial losses due to the issue.

This is one of the reasons why it is so important to work with medical professionals to determine exactly how long a condition will last or a likely prognosis. The benefits you may be eligible for depend on that diagnosis in many ways. The medical professionals can also help to produce the records needed to prove that the disability will last for 12 months (or more) when applying for those benefits.

If you find yourself in the position of needing to file for SSDI benefits it is crucial to know what legal options you have. This can be a long process, so starting early is recommended.

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