If you have been hurt, or you are sick, you might not be able to work. While applying for disability may be your only option, it's important to understand that you will have to wait for disability benefits if you are applying to the social security administration. If you are not covered under any short term disability policy, or you are not covered under workers compensation, you may have difficulty meeting your financial needs until you are approved for benefits. If you have been denied benefits, or your waiting period isn't over, you need to meet with an attorney to talk about your options.

When You Are Deemed Disabled

Even when the social security administration determines that you are disabled and entitled to benefits, these benefits don't start until your sixth month of disability. What this means is that you do not receive benefits the first five months of your disability, regardless of a lack of money to support yourself. If you have cancer, for example, that goes into remission after four months, your disability timeline starts over. If you suddenly relapse, you begin the five month waiting period once again. This can become a tireless loop for an individual that gets better for a few months and then relapses again. You will need the services of a disability attorney to go over your case to see what your options are if this occurs.

Getting Your Providers on Board with a Disability Claim

As you wait for your claim to be approved, it's important to talk with your treatment providers to ensure that they are in agreement with your application for disability. Your doctors and other treatment providers are going to be the ones filling out the extensive paperwork for the social security administration, and they are essential to the approval process. With your treatment team on board with you receiving benefits, you should have an easier time if you have to appeal a claim that has been denied. 

Many people are denied social security disability benefits. In 2010, 34.8% of social security disability applicants were eventually awarded benefits, but many received either technical or medical denials that they had to appeal before they received benefits. If you have been denied benefits, you are not alone. Whether your denial was because paperwork was missing, or you did not meet the medical threshold for benefits, you can appeal your claim with the help of an attorney. Visit an attorney like Bruce K Billman or one from a similar firm for more help and info.