While hopefully, something bad will never happen to you, the fact is that there are more people that have been disabled doing their work than we can think of. Whether it’s due to failing standards at their company in terms of workplace safety, the comparative risk of their jobs, or simple sheer accident, getting an injury at work is always possible.
Fortunately, during such cases, the government is equipped to handle the issues. Ask any social security disability lawyer in Utah about these programs and they’ll carefully guide you through the steps you’ll need to take to apply for the grants.
If you don’t have the time or you aren’t in Utah right now, here’s a little overview as to what applying for disability benefits usually means in the U.S. There are two government-funded programs you can apply for, which are:
The Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI)
If you’re working in a salaried position with a payroll tax, this is probably a fee that you’ve seen on your papers for quite a while. The SSDI is a federally managed program run by the Social Security Administration that helps people with disabilities receive help through welfare.
Also known as Title II benefits, the SSDI is not dependent on the income of the individual in regards to the payout amount. Rather, the amount credited is an average of your past earnings, indexed by month.
Applicants often hire lawyers (in this case, called disability representatives) to represent them during the application for SSDI. This is often the best practice, as these lawyers have extensive experience in the legalities surrounding the application. They can guide you through the process of obtaining the required medical and legislative papers.
Supplemental Security Income (SSI)
Fairly confused with the SSDI, the SSI has several key differences. First, the payment amount is capped depending on what state you are in, and the program heavily takes the income and living situation of the applicant into consideration. Generally, the payout expected from SSI is lower than the SSDI, on account of it mostly for people who need financial assistance from issues not stemming from disability or injury.
Some of the prospective applicants that can be put on this welfare program are the aged, blind, and disabled 65+ years or older, the child whose parents are currently on active military duty outside the U.S., and even students who are temporarily abroad.
Calculations for benefit rates also change, depending on your marital status. The benefit rate changes from an individual to a married couple, as spouses in low-income households are covered by this program. Payment is often given directly to the applicants (given that they are of sound mental condition and are capable of managing their own finances) or to a representative payee, which can be family members, friends, or private and public social service agencies.
If you ever find yourself or someone in a situation where welfare or financial assistance is necessary, the SSDI and the SSI will allow you to find much-needed relief. There are plenty of resources to tap and people who are willing to help.
