Anyone who has an illness or injury that prevents that person from working a regular job needs disability income. If the injury occurred while working, then that person’s employer will handle it through Worker’s Compensation. In some cases, a large settlement from Worker’s Compensation or the employer’s insurance may also provide funds for the disabled person. If the illness or injury did not occur at work, then Social Security may be the next place a person turns to for income. Supplemental Security Income (SSI) can help augment the disability payments.

The Disability Income Program Was Founded by FDR

The Social Security disability income program was started by Franklin Roosevelt as part of his famous New Deal package to help the country out of the Great Depression and to provide a safety net to citizens who had none. While employed, a person would pay into the Social Security system through payroll taxes. All of these taxes were collected into a general fund that could be drawn from for individual workers as needs required. That system is still in place today.

Of course, anyone who wants to receive disability benefits will need to have the appropriate medical proof. Many clams are denied on initial application, and the applicant must go before an appeals board, or even a court, in order to get the benefits he needs. That’s why so many attorneys exist who specialize in Social Security disability income applications.