Four Things You Should Know If You Have A Disability And Can No Longer Work

Posted on: 5 January 2019

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If you have been injured and can no longer work, you are going to want to know what your options are. This is especially true as it relates to disability benefits. The following are a few things you should know.

Workers' compensation is your first option

If you were hurt on the job, you should always file for workers' compensation benefits. If you have a severe injury, these benefits will last as long as necessary, so there is no need to file for disability benefits. Workers' compensation is insurance to protect people from lost wages and salaries due to an injury that took place during working hours. Some businesses may have a policy that will provide training to do another type of work if your injury prevents you from returning to your current job.

Unemployment insurance may not be available

If you were not injured on the job, you may be thinking that, at least in the short run, you can file for unemployment insurance. Assuming you were laid off or fired, normally, you would be eligible for an unemployment check, but if you are disabled, then you are not available for work. This is a fundamental requirement for unemployment benefits and is often overlooked.

Your best option may be disability

The first thing you need to understand is that disability is a component of the Social Security benefits program. This means that in order to collect benefits, you need to have paid into the system. In addition, you must have a long-term disability. It doesn't have to be permanent, but it needs to prevent you from working for at least a year. There are also qualifying disabilities. What is deemed a disability is well defined. The bigger issue is not the fact that you have a medical condition that prevents you from working, but being able to document this condition.

You should hire an attorney

It is more common to have your application for disability rejected than accepted. For this reason alone, you should consult with an attorney. A lawyer can determine how good of a case you have and what documents you need to establish your disability. The chances of having your application approved are much better with the assistance of an attorney. If your application is rejected, you are entitled to an appeal, and your attorney will already be up to speed on your case.

If you have a long-term disability and you were injured at work, you should file a workers' compensation claim. A long-term disability that will prevent you from making a living means filing a disability claim. But you should consult an attorney about your specific circumstances.