What Factors Are Considered When Determining Disability Benefits?

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The Social Security Administration (SSA) and Disability Determination Service (DDS) will examine various aspects of your claim to evaluate your eligibility for benefits. They will then use this information to determine the amount of benefits you will receive.

They will assess whether you are working or able to work, the severity of your medical condition, and if it is listed in the Social Security Administration’s Blue Book, a list of medical conditions that qualify for disability payments.

Additionally, they will examine your record to determine the amount of disability insurance you have accrued through your work credits and whether this amount is adequate to qualify for Social Security Disability Benefits (SSDI).

If you do not have enough, you may still qualify for benefits, but they will be Supplemental Security Income (SSI), which is means-tested, meaning that the amount you receive will be determined by your assets and any income you generate.

Are you employed?

The SSA will consider whether you are currently employed or not, as one of the requirements for Social Security Disability benefits is that your medical condition prevents you from working for at least 12 months.

Is your ailment classified as “severe”?

Your ailment must be severe enough to preclude you from working in any type of job.

If you are unable to provide sufficient medical evidence demonstrating the seriousness of your disability, the SSA may request that you participate in a Residual Functioning Capacity (RFC) test, which is conducted by your doctor and evaluates your physical and mental capacity, such as your ability to move around, sit and stand in one position for extended periods of time, the amount you can lift, and your ability to concentrate on various tasks.

Is this information contained in the Blue Book?

The SSA will examine if your disease is listed in the Blue Book since it increases the likelihood that your application for disability benefits will be approved. Occasionally, a medical condition is not listed separately but is included in numerous lists, making it more difficult to determine your eligibility for disability benefits.

Are you able to work?

The SSA will decide if you are capable of performing the work you previously performed or whether there is alternative work that you may be able to perform. If it determines that you are still capable of working, your claim is less likely to be approved.

Occasionally, the SSA examines your age and determines that if you are older, you are less likely to be able to pick up new skills, making your disability application more likely to be approved.

Obtain Assistance in Determining Your Eligibility

A lawyer or advocate may be able to assist you in determining your eligibility for benefits. They can use your disability insurance record to ascertain whether you have accrued sufficient work credits. If you require assistance in comprehending your disability insurance record, you should contact an attorney or advocate for a complimentary case examination.

 Social Security Administration office Austin, Texas can be found at https://socialsecurityofficesnearme.com/ or you can visit disability.help

What You Need to Know About Car Accidents & Personal Injury Law in Washington State

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When you are injured, the effects can have devastating financial consequences. Fortunately, there is a compensatory relief when another person is to blame for your injuries. The personal injury laws established in Washington allow you to recover from the responsible party. You are entitled to compensation for financial losses, medical expenses, pain, and suffering. Even your spouse is entitled to compensation under a recovery theory called “loss of consortium.”

Personal injury laws vary depending on the type of injury you suffer, and they also vary with the responsible party. For instance, when you get injured during the course and scope of your employment, then you are likely entitled to worker’s compensation. When you get injured in an auto accident, then recovery often comes from the responsible driver’s insurance company. Sometimes the recovery comes from your auto insurance company when the responsible driver is underinsured or uninsured.

Recovery under worker’s compensation is different than recovery from a car accident because worker’s compensation entitles you to monthly wages and medical coverage. In most states, worker’s compensation insurance is mandated by law. When a work injury occurs, an employee is entitled to coverage regardless of fault. However, when a person gets injured in an auto accident, then the injury victim needs to prove that the responsible driver acted with negligence. Negligence is a legal term, and it’s interpreted by courts differently than its ordinary and everyday usage. Whether a responsible driver acted with negligence is often a fact-driven analysis performed by legal experts.

In most cases, an insurance company will handle a claim on its insured’s behalf. Insurance companies hire attorneys and claims professionals to value your injuries, and they attempt to settle your claims. However, the representatives employed by the insurance company want to settle your claim quickly, and they want to settle it for less than it’s worth. The quick and low settlement allows an insurance company to show less loss to shareholders, and it allows an insurance company to save money.

It’s imperative that you do not try to settle a case with the responsible insurance company by yourself. When you try to handle an accident alone, you might undervalue your case, and you might settle for less than you are owed. When you hire a Vancouver, Washington personal injury attorney, we can guide you through the injury process, and we can help you to maximize monetary recovery from your accident. Contact our firm today for help with your personal injury claim.