How is disability defined for SSDI?
Any Knoxville resident who has suffered an injury or gotten sick understands how hard it can be to work while managing the symptoms of their ailment. Many of the injuries and illnesses that affect Tennessee workers are short-term and may keep a worker off the job for a day or two. Unfortunately, serious accidents and life-threatening illnesses also plague workers who depend on their paychecks to support themselves and their loved ones.
When a worker becomes disabled because of an injury or illness, their entire future may be threatened. They may have few options for earning an income and serious concerns about how they will live. Based on the nature of their disabling condition, they may be eligible for benefits from the Social Security Administration.
Understanding disability for Social Security benefits
Social Security disability benefits are reserved for individuals whose ailments meet the criteria of the organization’s disability definition. That definition requires a disability to prevent a worker from engaging in substantial gainful activity because of a medically determinable physical or mental impairment that will end in death or affect the worker for at least 12 months. The substantial gainful activity threshold is set each year, and if a worker earns below it, they may qualify for benefits. Their disabling condition must also be sufficiently enduring and must be recognized by the Social Security Administration.
Meeting the criteria of the disability definition
To secure Social Security disability benefits, an individual must apply for them. They must be able to offer evidence of their disabling condition and how it conforms to the terms of the Social Security administration’s definition of disability. Ensuring that an application is accurately and completely prepared can be complicated. When a worker needs support to make ends meet and suffers from a disability that qualifies for Social Security benefits, they may choose to work with a Social Security disability attorney to help them prepare and fight for the benefits they deserve.