FAQs

The Social Security Administration (SSA) recognizes a variety of medical conditions that may qualify you for Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI)/Supplemental Security Income (SSI). These include both physical and mental health conditions that significantly impair your ability to work. 

Some examples of qualifying conditions include:

• Musculoskeletal disorders such as lumbosacral or cervical spine herniations or stenosis, or knee osteoarthritis, requiring orthopedic care and/or surgery
• Cardiovascular problems like heart disease or heart failure
• Neurological conditions such as epilepsy or other seizure disorder, multiple sclerosis or Parkinson’s Disease
• Mental health disorders including, but not limited to, depression, schizophrenia, or anxiety
• Respiratory conditions like COPD, asthma, and severe lung disease
• Cancer in advanced stages or causing long-term effects
• Kidney disease or failure requiring dialysis
• Digestive disorders such as Crohn’s disease or cirrhosis of the liver
• Immune system disorders including lupus or HIV/AIDS
• Vision or hearing impairments that severely limit work capabilities
• Rheumatological impairments such as fibromyalgia and rheumatoid arthritis/osteoarthritis

To qualify for SSDI/SSI, your condition must be severe, a condition that has lasted or is expected to last at least 12 full months or likely to result in death, preventing you from engaging in any substantial work activity. 

If you are uncertain whether your condition qualifies, it is helpful to consult with an attorney who has deep experience securing SSDI/SSI claims in order to assess your eligibility for benefits.

It is possible to apply for SSDI after collecting unemployment, but there can be complications, especially as there is a potential inconsistency between your unemployment claim and your SSDI claim.

Be prepared to provide detailed medical evidence and clarify why your disability prevents you from working, despite having collected unemployment. It is advisable to seek professional guidance to navigate the process effectively. 

Our firm has helped many folks who collected unemployment for a period prior to achieving disability status with SSA. 

You should consult a Social Security lawyer if you have collected unemployment benefits and are seeking Social Security Disability benefits. You cannot collect unemployment compensation and receive benefits for SSI (as opposed to SSDI). You need to understand how the qualifying criteria for unemployment compensation can adversely impact on SSDI eligibility and how to address the contradiction.

Note the receipt of workers’ compensation benefits is an offset to Social Security Disability Benefits and the complexities of workers’ compensation benefits and their interaction with SSDI needs to be carefully discussed and addressed.

Hiring a lawyer to help with your Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI)/SSI claim can significantly improve your chances of success. 

While there are no guarantees, having an experienced attorney can help you navigate the complex process and substantially increase your likelihood of approval.

Clients pay their lawyers, but only out of the past recovered benefits and not against monthly payments going forward. 

No lawyer can charge you anything unless the fee/fee agreement is approved in writing by the Social Security Administration. 

Cases are taken on a contingent fee basis, meaning the fee is owed only if and when the case is won.

The time it takes to secure Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) or Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits with the help of a lawyer can vary widely, depending on multiple factors. 

It is not a particularly fast process in the normal case but you will be compensated for the months you waited to obtain a resolution depending on the alleged and provable date of onset.