When You Can’t Work in Indiana, Social Security Disability Benefits Provide Hope
The seven million people who live in Indiana come from all backgrounds and know all of life’s rewards and challenges.
That includes facing hard realities sometimes. A worrisome trip to the doctor’s office can turn into a crisis when it becomes clear you have a debilitating illness. It’s worse when your condition progresses and you can no longer work for a living.
Thankfully, Social Security Disability benefits exist to provide Hoosiers financial stability when your health upends your job. These monthly payments help with medical bills, utilities, even groceries while you focus on managing your condition.
But disability benefits can often seem out of reach. Social Security denies a large majority of applications for a variety of reasons. They may say your impairment doesn’t qualify, or that you simply didn’t correctly fill out a section on your application.
Don’t lose hope. Thousands of people in Indiana have faced these obstacles and overcome them, winning disability benefits to stabilize their lives.
You can, too, and you can get support from an experienced Indiana disability attorney for no fee until you win benefits.
Nash Disability Law has helped thousands of people win benefits for 40 years. We help people from Hammond and Gary to Indianapolis and Evansville. Social Security Disability is what we do and all we do.
What Benefits Can I Get from Social Security in Indiana?
Whether you live in the Chicago suburbs, the neighborhoods of Indianapolis, or anywhere in Indiana, Social Security benefits are a resource when your health problems keep you from working.
Social Security has two programs that help people struggling with disabilities.
- The first, Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI), is for people who have worked for years and recently paid Social Security taxes.
- The second, Supplemental Security Income (SSI), is designed for people who have never been able to work much or who haven’t worked in a long time and have few other resources to rely upon.
SSDI provides monthly checks based on your income over time. SSI pays a standard amount set by the government, and it can be reduced by any other income, such as work earnings or support from family or friends. SSI benefits are usually less than SSDI, but it depends.
Regardless of the amount, every bit helps when you’re faced with a health crisis. And when you decide to take on Social Security, it is best to come prepared. Work with a skilled Indiana disability lawyer who supports your effort to claim all the benefits you’re eligible for.
That’s what we do at Nash Disability Law.
If you live anywhere in Indiana, we will look at your case, treat you with the compassion and dignity you deserve, and give you the best advice on how to move forward—all at no cost to you.
Start with a FREE disability claim evaluation in Indiana.
How Do I Qualify for Social Security Disability Benefits in Indiana?
When you’re sick and can no longer work, it’s not enough to simply ask for Social Security Disability benefits. You have to prove you meet the system’s strict definition of disability.
Social Security’s definition is different from the common understanding of a disability. You can’t just show that you have a health limitation or that your doctor says you are “legally” blind. You have to show that your condition impedes your ability to work.
An impairment that causes your inability to do your job—or any job—for at least a year is what Social Security sees as a “disability.”
To make your case, you must pull together both your medical and work history. This documentation may include:
- Diagnoses
- Results of medical exams and tests
- Prescription or medication lists
- Details of your treatment plans
- Records of how you’ve followed treatment
- Pay stubs
- Job descriptions
- Years when you were in different jobs
- Contact information for employers
Social Security will also look at several other factors, such as your age. If you’re under 50, Social Security will strongly scrutinize your ability to do other work. It relaxes these standards when you’re older, taking into account that it’s tougher to adapt to different work.
They will also look at how long you worked when calculating benefits. In general, you must have paid into Social Security enough to earn 40 “credits” for SSDI—that’s about a decade of work. And you must have earned at least half of those credits in the most recent 10 years.
Thinking about all these nuances can feel like you’re back in high school algebra class. It’s a lot. And it’s easy to miss something.
Be kind to yourself. It’s OK to ask for help. This is exactly what Social Security Disability attorneys do: help with a complicated process so you can find a way forward.
The disability lawyers at Nash Disability take pride in helping everyday folks across Indiana get the benefits they need to bring some peace to their lives and families.