Getting Short Term Disability Benefits for Cardiac Arrest

Cardiac arrest is never easy to deal with.  Often it strikes without warning and the repercussions can be such that you are out of work for quite some time.  If you have suffered or currently recovering from cardiac arrest, you will definitely need to apply for short term disability benefits.

Where to Get Benefits

Short term disability benefits can either come through your job or from Social Security Administration:

• What normally happens is that short term disability will kick in and pay a percentage (somewhere between 40 – 65%) of your pre-disability base salary should you suffer a temporary disability. 
• In the event that you have a heart attack (cardiac arrest) you will need to get your physician to complete a form verifying that you are placed in a disabled category for a short period of time (usually until the doctor finds that you have made a full recovery).
• If you have short term disability benefits courtesy of your job then you have a policy which guaranteed to be issued.  In the event of your short term disability you will be able to begin receiving your short term disability benefits within a 14 day window of you becoming disabled.   

Limitations and Rules

In the case of cardiac arrest, your employer may mandate that you use all of your sick days prior to having any short term disability benefits kick in.  Rest assured that once the benefits do kick in, in may instances you can receive monies that are retroactive to the first day that you were considered disabled.   This is why it is important to have something in writing to verify your illness.

The Process

If you have suffered from cardiac arrest, more than likely you will be taken to the hospital where the attending physician on staff will contact your regular physician.  A prognosis will be evident and given to your regular doctor who will then tell you how long you can expect it will take for recovery.  As soon as you find out, you should either call up your job yourself or have a family member assist you with making the arrangements for short term disability benefits.

Getting Help

If you are seeking short term disability benefits due to a cardiac arrest or any other illness, you should first contact your employer or the group in which the disability insurance is under and second contact the disability insurance provider directly.  The provider should be able to give you information on the requirements that they have regarding releasing your short term disability benefits to you. You should also contact an experienced disability rights attorney who can help you to make sure you get the short term disability benefits you are entitled to.