WHAT IS SSDI?

SSDI stands for Social Security Disability Insurance. Since 1956, the US government has required most workers to contribute to a mandatory disability insurance plan administered by the Social Security Administration (SSA).

 Workers contribute approximately 7.65% of their income (listed as FICA tax on your pay stub) and employers match that amount.  The money goes into a trust account under each worker's Social Security number. A worker must accumulate a certain number of "quarters of coverage" based on payroll deductions to be covered by Social Security (SSDI). Then, if a disability occurs, the worker can apply for disability benefits.  If the worker can meet the strict medical definition of "disability," benefits will be paid.

The problem is, relatively few people meet that definition.  It may take months or years to convince Social Security that you are "disabled" according to their rules, even if you are.
What Are Basic Medical Requirements for Disability?  

Assuming a person has worked long enough and recently enough to be covered, here are the basic rules for getting SSDI benefits:

• has at least 1 severe impairment that is medically determinable (provable)

• the impairment will last a minimum of 12 consecutive months 

• the impairment is severe enough that the claimant has stopped working full-time and is not expected to go back to work for at least 12 months (called the "duration requirement").

Typically, in Alabama, a claimant must file an application followed by 2 appeals to get benefits started.  It is rare to get approved simply by filing the application.

Most people end up hiring an attorney to help them through the complicated appeals process.  Those who eventually get paid are those who "stay the course" and follow the appeals process as far as it takes.