Help Getting Social Security Disability When You Can’t Work
If you apply for Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) benefits, winning them can be a huge relief to the hardships of serious health problems and loss of work.
Living in the Chicago area is expensive. Monthly disability checks from the Social Security Administration (SSA) help you keep up with your bills.
When you worked, you paid into the program, which means you should have coverage when you have to leave work unexpectedly through no fault of your own.
Monthly disability income helps you hold on to a measure of dignity and independence in your life.
But filing an SSDI application in Chicago can be a daunting process. You have to meet Social Security’s complicated definition of disability—not just get a doctor’s note saying you should stay home and rest.
At Nash Disability Law, we can help guide you through how to apply for disability in Chicago, so you avoid the common mistakes we see.
We’ve helped thousands of people in 40-plus years.
WE’VE HELPED MORE PEOPLE IN THE CHICAGO AREA WIN BENEFITS THAN ANY OTHER LAW FIRM.
You can start by having our Chicago legal team evaluate your situation for free.
What Do I Need to Apply for Disability in Chicago?
YOU HAVE A QUALIFYING DISABILITY UNDER SOCIAL SECURITY’S RULES IF:
- You cannot do the work that you did before; —because your health stops you.
- You cannot adjust to other work because of your medical conditions.
- Your disability has already lasted a year, or it hasn’t lasted that long yet but there’s a good chance it will.
You have to prove each of these points with details and documentation of your health problems and ability to function day-to-day.
This includes filling out pages of forms, providing medical records, summarizing your work history, and getting statements from people you know about how your health struggles impact your life.
You don’t have to get all of this together on your own.
The Chicago disability lawyers at Nash handle the legwork so the process easier, and your life is easier when you win benefits.
How to Apply for Social Security Disability FAQs
How do I know when I should apply for Social Security Disability benefits?
When your health problems reach the point that you can’t keep up in your job, you’ve lost or soon will lose your income, and there’s no end date in sight to when you might be better, you should apply for Social Security Disability benefits. Don’t wait to see if you’ll recover or until your financial situation becomes more urgent. Start your disability application now. It often takes a long time to win benefits, so it’s best to get the process going.
How do I file my Social Security Disability application?
Usually, you’ll fill out forms and submit your information online. You can also make an appointment to go to a Chicagoland Social Security office to apply for disability benefits. And you can apply by calling Social Security and giving them your information over the phone. It’s a lot of information, so get a disability lawyer to help you. Your lawyer can make sure you have correctly submitted your application.
How can I tell if I might be approved for disability benefits?
The requirements for Social Security Disability are that you have seriously limiting health problems, you can’t work because of your health, and all signs are that you will miss at least a year of work. If you have strong evidence for all of these situations, you might have a good chance of being approved for disability benefits. But it’s still hard. They deny most people, and you may need to appeal the denial and add even more evidence and arguments to make your disability case stronger.
Does Social Security Disability cover my particular health problem?
Winning disability benefits is more about the severity of your health problems than the exact condition you have. Social Security Disability is all about how your health limits your ability to work. That being said, some health problems can give you a more clear-cut case than others. Obvious physical disabilities can be easier to document in concrete ways. Life-threatening conditions like serious cancers that have spread don’t require as much convincing for Social Security. Health impairments that are harder for others to see and understand can have special challenges for winning benefits. Those include mental health issues, chronic pain, chronic fatigue and some autoimmune disorders. But that doesn’t mean you can’t win benefits with them. You just need the right approach. The skilled Chicago disability lawyers at Nash can help you to figure out what evidence you need.
How do I decide if I should apply for SSDI or SSI?
If you have a significant recent work history, Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) is probably the program you should apply for among the two disability programs run by Social Security. It requires a substantial record of working and paying Social Security taxes. It usually pays more in monthly benefits because it’s based partly on your past earnings. If you haven’t worked much or in a long time, Supplemental Security Income (SSI) may be the right choice. SSI is for people with limited financial means, so you can’t have much in the form of savings, investments, or property other than your primary home to qualify for SSI. It pays a standard amount set by the government. But there are times when you can apply for both SSDI and SSI. Consult with a disability lawyer at Nash for a free evaluation of your situation.
What does the Social Security Disability application ask for?
Applying for Social Security Disability can feel even more involved than applying for a job. You will provide medical information and details of your past work. You will describe your symptoms, the demands of your jobs, and how your condition now interferes with your ability to work. You might provide statements from family and friends discussing how they’ve seen your health problems affect your life. You will provide contact information for doctors, clinics and past employers. Your Social Security Disability attorney can advise on everything you need.
How long does it take to get Social Security Disability?
It takes months and often more than a year to be approved for Social Security Disability benefits. The Social Security Administration is almost always dealing with a backlog of cases. It’s a long-standing problem that we’ve been calling attention to at Nash Disability Law for years. Until the government fixes this process, you need to be ready to wait. The long wait means you should apply for disability benefits as soon as you can, so you don’t add to the delay by hesitating. In the end, you can be compensated for this wait. Social Security recognizes how long it takes to get benefits and often awards back benefits to cover some of your wait time, which can be a welcome financial relief when you finally get there.
What benefits come with Social Security Disability?
Two major benefits come with Social Security Disability: monthly checks to help you keep up with your daily expenses, and access to healthcare coverage. SSDI gets you into Medicare early, before the usual retirement age (but after a waiting period). Qualifying for SSI benefits means you also qualify for Medicaid health coverage. With income support and the ability to take care of your health, you can rest, take care of yourself and live a fuller life.
