Applying for Social Security disability income is a complex process. Not only must the applicant describe his disability in detail, he must also remember the exact dates on which certain medical events took place, from the main injury itself to the various medical appointments that resulted from it. In nearly every case, the Social Security Administration will send applicants to doctors approved by the Administration for independent examinations. In some cases, multiple appointments of this nature might be necessary. It can take a long time to go through all of this, and in the interim, the disabled person continues to wait for income to come in.

However, the wait can be worth it. Once benefits are approved, the amount received each month can often be more than enough to pay for an individual’s expenses, depending on that person’s average income over the course of her working career. In addition, many claims are awarded retroactive benefits, going back to the initial date of the onset of the disability. This means a large lump-sum check for the applicant. In addition, people receiving benefits become eligible for Medicare after a year of being on Social Security.

Requirements for Social Security Disability Claims

There are a few basic requirements for applying for a Social Security disability claim. These are:

• An illness or injury that’s expected to last a year or more or result in death
• A certain number of credits, based on years employed
• The medical inability to perform any kind of work