If you are totally disabled and do not expect to return to work soon, then:
- There are several different programs and benefits that you may be entitled to if you become disabled. These can include Social Security disability insurance benefits, Supplemental Security Income (SSI), long term disability insurance, disability retirement, and workers' compensation. Each of these programs is different. Some people think that if they are getting benefits from one program, they cannot apply for another program. This is often wrong! In many cases, you can and should apply for benefits from each program. But remember, each program has its own deadlines and procedures. We can help guide you through this maze!
- Different agencies use different definitions for the term "disabled." You might be found disabled by one agency, but still not meet the criteria for another agency. Never assume that a decision made for one type of benefit will be same for another type of benefit.
- You should immediately apply for Social Security disability benefits, even if you are receiving workers compensation or other long-term disability benefits.
- You do not have to wait before applying for benefits. Many programs have strict deadlines that require you to apply within a certain time of becoming disabled. If you miss the deadline, you may lose some or all of the potential benefits you should have received. Contrary to what you might have heard, you do not have to wait one year to apply for Social Security disability or SSI. You can apply even if you are getting other benefits, such as workers' compensation or long term disability. If you expect to be totally disabled for an extended period, you should apply immediately.
- In most cases, "disability" is based on each and every medical or mental condition that you have that might interfere with any type of work. In most cases, it does not matter if the problems were caused by an injury at work, or an injury at home, or a car wreck, or something you were born with, or a disease that has developed. Often, it is a combination of medical and/or mental conditions that together cause someone to be disabled, even if no single problem qualifies. Many people have some problems that they continue to work with for years, such as a bad back, bad knees, difficulty reading and understanding. Then, something else happens that makes them stop working. In those cases, it is important to include all the problems you have when describing your disability, even the ones that you have had for a long time.
The Callahan Law Firm, P.C., represents clients located throughout eastern South Carolina, including the communities of Charleston, Summerville, Moncks Corner, Mt. Pleasant, Goose Creek, McClellanville, Ravenel, Beaufort, Walterboro, Georgetown, Myrtle Beach, Charleston County, Dorchester County, Berkeley County, and all of the surrounding areas.
