History of SSDI
Although the long-term fate of the federal government’s Social Security program is yet to be seen, at present it is an integral income supplement for retired and disabled persons. Here is a brief overview of how today’s Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) system was formed.
The Original Social Security
The original form of our modern Social Security program was instituted to provide Civil War veterans with pensions. At first, the pension benefits were only dispersed to disabled Union veterans who were injured in combat, then later expanded to all Union soldiers.
Roosevelt’s Social Insurance
During the Great Depression in the 1930s, the need for an all-inclusive pension and disability plan became evident. Former President Roosevelt promoted the idea of "social insurance," which directly resulted in the Social Security system we utilize today. President Roosevelt assembled an organization called the Committee on Economic Safety, which set up provisions that allowed workers to form "retirement accounts" that they could contribute to regularly. In 1935, this unofficial plan became the Social Security Act, or SSA law. Years later in 1956, disability provisions were written into the law. Today, workers who have become disabled due to conditions like amputation, back injury, arthritis, or cancer are entitled to receive a portion of their income to replace income lost as a result of their impairments’ debilitating physical or mental effects.
Today’s SSDI Restrictions
If you are applying for disability benefits, there are restrictions that you should be aware of. Among the provisions in effect today: You may not be eligible for SSDI benefits if you engage in "substantially gainful activity." Also, your disability must be expected to last at least 12 months or be considered terminal to qualify for benefits. More about the SSDI qualifications.
Americans pay into the Social Security Disability Insurance fund with a percentage of each check. It is puzzling, then, why so many deserving, disabled people are denied benefits that they are entitled to. At The Cochran Firm Disability Lawyers, we spend countless hours fighting red tape and unfair denials to help clients get crucial Social Security income.
If you are in search of experienced legal guidance to get the Social Security disability benefits that are necessary for your survival, The Cochran Firm Disability Lawyers would be proud to go to work for you. Please contact our Social Security disability lawyers today to set up a personalized case review and find valuable answers to your SSDI questions. The FREE case review can be conducted over the phone for your convenience. Fill out the form now to get started.
SSDI Process Level Five
Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) was created to provide disabled workers money to live on after they are no longer able to work. Sometimes SSDI benefits are only for a couple of years, while other recipients of these funds collect for the rest of their lives because their injury or illness is serious enough to prevent them from ever working again. SSDI law is complicated, and people are often denied benefits on their first application because the paperwork is confusing, and one mistake can result in your claim being denied.
The experienced SSDI attorneys at The Cochran Firm Disability Lawyers have helped thousands of people all over the country get the compensation they deserve following a disabling accident or injury. If you have been injured and can no longer work, we can help you file for Social Security disability benefits.
There are several steps in the SSDI process, and each one presents its own unique challenges. We just described levels one through four of the five level process, and now we are ready to move on to the final stage, level five.
Level Five
Less than one percent of SSDI applicants ever make it to level five of the process: Federal District Court (FDC). Approximately 70% of the claims that make it this far are denied and a very small percentage receive an FDC decision that results in an award. The rest of the applicants at level 5 are sent back to the hearing level of the process for a second hearing.
If your claim is awarded, the guidelines regarding when you will receive your payment are:
- Two to four weeks but up to sixty days for claims awarded at level one and level two
- One to three months for claims awarded at levels three and four
These are estimations and the actual time may vary.
A complicated formula is used to estimate the monthly payment you will receive. Your monthly amount is dictated by your lifetime earnings.
Your eligibility for SSDI benefits will be reviewed from time to time. These reviews are typically at one, three, five or seven years. For instance, if you have a medical condition that is expected to improve, your benefits will be reviewed around the time established for improvement at the time your benefits were awarded.
Please contact the experienced SSDI attorneys at The Cochran Firm Disability Lawyers today to schedule your confidential consultation to discuss your SSDI case. Let us help you get the SSDI benefits to which you are entitled. We have several offices throughout the United States, and we can help you the same way we’ve helped thousands of other families all over the country. Fill out the form today for a FREE case evaluation.