Social Security Disability Back-Payments

Many people are thankful that the Social Security Administration (SSA) provides support for individuals who are disabled and have difficulty maintaining full-time employment to support themselves and their families. Disabilities may be present from birth, or the person may have suffered injury during childhood or adulthood. People may have been involved in car accidents, work-related incidents, or may have been wounded while serving their country.

Regardless of the cause, people who are unable to support themselves because of physical or mental disabilities may be eligible for benefits from the SSA. The process usually requires the applicant to completely fill out an official application for benefits. He or she should include a statement regarding the injury and should send copies of medical records and work-history. In many cases, the SSA will need to see the person's work history to determine if they qualify for compensation.

When it comes to assessing the disability itself, the SSA may need to examine the person's medical history and hold hearings to determine the level of disability versus the person's ability to work. If it is determined that the individual does fit the criteria for compensation, his or her application will be approved and payments will be issued.

Unfortunately, the application process can be very time-consuming and the applicant may be forced to wait several months before receiving any money from the government. The adjudication and review process can take several months, and there may be a significant delay between the application time and the time the first payment arrives.

It is recommended that persons who wish to receive benefits apply immediately following their disability diagnosis. This way, the individual can get the process started right away and hopefully begin receiving payments in a shorter amount of time. If the person delays with the application, he or she may find themselves in financial trouble even after the application has been accepted.

Fortunately, the SSA will issue back-payments to applicants who are accepted into the disability program. Back-dated payments will be issued for payments missed during the application process, and may be paid in installments or a single "lump-sum". This may help the person regain the expected compensation and may help ease his or her financial struggles significantly.

If you would like to know more about applying for Social Security benefits or if you have been wrongly denied disability payments, contact the Indianapolis Social Security disability attorneys of the Charles D. Hankey Law Office, P.C.

Joseph Devine

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