How To File For Disbility Insurance Benefits

If you think you may be eligible for Social Security Disability Benefits, you can file a claim to receive payments based on your specific diagnosis. There are several main ways in which you can prove your disability and be entitled to disability benefits.

Proving Your Disability: Listed Disabilities

One way to prove your disability involves having a documented diagnosis of an impairment from a medical professional that indicates you have a disability listed on the SSA list of impairments.  You must also meet the listed criteria of disability for the impairment you’ve been diagnosed with, as some diagnoses are listed on the Social Security Administration’s List or "blue book," but certain individuals who have those disabilities may not meet the severity requirements to be deemed disabled.

Obtaining a Medical Vocational Allowance

Another method of obtaining benefits without having a diagnosis that is currently in the administration’s Blue Book is to be granted a medical vocational allowance. A medical vocational allowance is given to a claimant who doesn’t met the criteria for one of the diagnoses on the impairment listing but who can prove that he or she meets the requirements for being considered disabled. In order to meet this requirement the individual must be able to prove the following:  

• The claimant must prove the diagnosis given is true and accurate, and that the impairment he or she suffers prevents any possibility of returning to any substantial work or performing any of the job functions at the current or previous place of employment, and that there is no possibility of performing any functions of a new job.
• The claimant must also prove that he or she is incapable of performing any work function of any previous job he or she has carried in the past, or any job similar to previous employment the individual has ever held.

Getting Help

If you suffer from a condition you think may be on the administration’s listing of impairments, or if you are finding it impossible to perform your job functions because of a physical or mental impairment, you may be eligible for long-term disability benefits through Social Security. You will need to have an official diagnosis from a medical professional, and the claim adjudicator will do a thorough record check regarding all medical records relevant to the claim. Your specific condition will be reviewed, as will any conditions that may have been a result of the symptoms of your condition. The claim adjudicator will make the decision based on this information to determine whether or not you qualify. You should be aware that if your claim is denied, you have the right to appeal the decision through the Social Security Administration’s Appeals hearing process. Because the process is complicated and technical, you should strongly consider hiring a disability attorney to assist you throughout the application process.