Discovering that you are unlikely to return to work after you've been hurt can have serious life consequences. Filing for disability benefits is just one of the things you'll have to do during this time, and it is not always easy to do so. Read the following to give you an idea of how to proceed.
Know Whether You Are Eligible
One point of confusion for some people who want disability benefits is that they assume that they will be considered disabled when they are not. However, there are guidelines in place to prevent those with short-term injuries, such as ankle sprains, for seeking benefits that they are likely to be denied for. Typically you'll have prove that your injuries will prevent you from working for a year or more. Not only that, but you will need to have one of a certain number of ailments or prove that your injury is as serious as those listed.
Don't Rely on Coworkers
One mistake many of those seeking benefits make is to ask people at work how they should move along with their claim. This can be a terrible idea for many reasons. While your coworkers might mean well, they could have the wrong information about deadlines, what paperwork you need and other information that could cause your claim to be derailed. Even your boss could be telling you inaccurate information without meaning to. You should only be asking the human resources department to provide direction; better yet, you should contact your local Social Security Administration, as they are the agency that will be deciding whether to approve or deny your claim.
Avoid Unemployment
Some people file for disability, and then, as they wait, make the decision to also file for unemployment so that they can receive some help much sooner. This can result in a definite denial of disability benefits, so it's not a wise decision to make. If you are having financial problems as you wait, you will have to start looking for other ways to handle those issues. You might seek help from family, attempt to move to a smaller home or start to cut out nonessential services around the house until the situation is resolved.
The advice stated here can help you to be more diligent when working on getting disability benefits. Working through this process with a disability benefits lawyer can give you confidence that a positive resolution is around the corner. Contact a lawyer such as Krueger C Roland Atty At Law to learn more.