If you become unable to work because of an accident or because of medical conditions, there is help available. You probably know that there are different programs that offer benefits, but you may not be aware of the differences or how they work. In short, there are long term disability benefits as well as Social Security disability benefits. You may be able to collect long term disability and Social Security disability at the same time.

Anyone who has applied for Social Security Disability benefits understands that medical records play a crucial role in the decision that is made by the Social Security Administration (SSA).

Without the right medical evidence you have no way of proving the extent of your disability, and therefore have no way to support your claim for Social Security Disability benefits.

Most people understand that medical records play an important role in someone's ability to obtain Social Security Disability benefits. However, the role a doctor plays in a patient's ability to obtain disability benefits from the Social Security Administration is often overlooked.

Exactly what role does your doctor play in your ability to receive disability benefits and how can you ensure that your treating physicians provide the Social Security Administration with the documentation and statements needed to support your disability claim?

A medical report is a comprehensive report that covers a person’s clinical history. A medical report is a vital piece of evidence that can validate and support your claim for Social Security Disability benefits.

Ideally, your medical report should be completed by a doctor or medical professional who is familiar with your condition and who has treated you for a significant period of time.

An important aspect of applying for disability benefits is collecting and submitting medical documentation to support your claim. This medical documentation validates your application and proves to the Social Security Administration that you are, in fact, disabled.

Many look forward to their Social Security Disability hearing with a mixture of anticipation and dread. After all, you have waited months, or possibly even years, for this date to arrive.

You are finally able to see the light at the end of the tunnel and may begin receiving Social Security Disability benefits within a matter of months. The question is, what should you expect at your disability hearing? How can you prepare yourself?

Most importantly, what questions will the administrative law judge who is overseeing your hearing ask you during the hearing process?

Beginning in December 2007, the United States suffered an economic downturn considered to be the worst financial crisis since the Great Depression. During this time period, layoffs increased at an alarming rate. In the fourth quarter of 2007 there were 5.7 million layoffs. By the first quarter of 2009, that number had quickly grown to 7.6 million—a 34% increase. The unemployment rate grew from 5.0% in December, 2007 to 9.5% by the end of the recession in June 2009.

Continued eligibility for Social Security Disability Benefits is dependent on many different factors. These include your ability to work, your living situation, and any income and resources you have earned. However, the two disability benefit programs—SSI and SSDI—vary. What may disqualify an SSI recipient may not disqualify and SSDI recipient.

As you may have noticed, we have been using our most recent blog posts to address questions that we receive about disability benefits. The question that we will be answering today involves short-term disability benefits—something that we get asked about all the time.

As always, if you have a question that you’d like us to answer, leave it in the comment section below. Today’s blog question is:

In addition to the federal disability benefit programs—SSDI and SSI—there are many smaller programs that offer financial assistance to individuals who have disabilities. These can come in the form of state-wide programs, charities, and insurance programs. But how do these impact your eligibility for federal disability benefits? A recent visitor to our interactive disability forum, asked the following question