If you have had a hernia and are currently recovering, you may be able to apply for disability benefits while you are unable to work. SSDI benefits do take quite a lot of time and patience to apply for but when approved they can help pay for medical treatment and provide basic income while unable to earn a normal wage or other earnings.
A hernia can be very painful and may be recognized as being in the category of a medical disability as defined by the SSA. If unsure of how to get the ball rolling with an SSDI application, talk to an experienced SSA attorney.
Criteria for Applying for SSDI Benefits
Although there are many parts of the SSDI disability benefits application form you have to fill in, the two main criteria relate to whether you have a recognized medical disability and whether you have met the minimum requirements of previous full time work experience. The latter is important as it relates to insurance which helps to cover disability payments through the federal SSDI program.
Both employed and self employed people who are currently experiencing a medical disability and have proof of recent work experience are potentially eligible to apply for SSDI benefits. It is important to be sure you know what you need to include with your application. If in doubt, see an attorney.
Medical Documents Needed in Your Application
The medical disability criterion is confirmed after checking important documents that you are asked to submit with your application. Some disabilities may be on the borderline of what may be accepted, so the SSA tends to rely on informed medical opinion provided by doctors and other medical professionals. Make sure you include the following:
- a doctor’s report on the current status of your hernia;
- medical history detailing how the hernia occurred and what treatment you gave received since it was first diagnosed;
- the names and contact details of any medical professionals who have supplied medical reports;
- the names and addresses of all medical facilities you have attended in relation to the hernia;
- dates of visits to medical facilities and brief reasons for attendance.
Other Information You’ll Need
The other main criterion that is checked carefully is your work history. These are the documents you will need to submit with your application that are relevant:
- social security number;
- birth certificate;
- type of recent employment or nature of self employment;
- dates of most recent work or business history;
- workplace locations and name of most recent employer;
- if employed, a copy of your most up to date W-2 form;
- last federal tax returns if running your own business.
How a Social Security Attorney Can Help you with your Application
It can take persistence and attention to detail when applying for disability benefits. An experienced SSA attorney can help at any time throughout the process, but especially I the initial stages when you need to be sure what you have to include with the application and if your claim is denied for any reason.
