Anyone is capable of becoming disabled. Even people in their 20s are capable of having to apply for disability benefits. Today, one of the most important issues is COVID-19. It has infected more than 1.1 million people across the country and has led to the deaths of close to 70,000 people in the United States alone. While many people who contract this infection are going to end up recovering without any long-term issues, plenty of other people may not be able to work for an extended period of time. If someone ends up getting sick due to COVID-19 and cannot work, how can that individual provide for themselves and their families? One option is to file for disability benefits from the Social Security Administration. In order for someone to apply for benefits from the SSA successfully, it is important to enlist the help of a lawyer with experience in the field of disability law.
In order for someone to qualify for disability benefits through the SSDI, there are a few requirements that people need to meet. First, individuals must have accrued a sufficient number of work credits. These are credits that people earn by paying Social Security taxes on the money they have earned. In 2018, one work credit was equal to $1,320 in either wages or self-employment income. People can accrue four credits per year. The number of credits someone will need is going to depend on how old they were at the time they contracted COVID-19 and became disabled.
Next, anyone who is applying for Social Security disability benefits due to COVID-19 must not be engaging in any other substantial gainful activity, which is a certain amount of income they generate from working. In 2018, this maximum amount was $1,180 per month. Anyone who is making more than this will not be able to qualify for Social Security disability benefits due to COVID-19.
In addition, people must meet the definition of disabled. This means that the medical complications from COVID-19 must prevent someone from working in the near future. The exact definition of this can vary. Since most people recover from COVID-19, this might be difficult to prove; however, with the help of an experienced lawyer, people who have contracted this disease and developed serious complications can maximize their chances of having a successful outcome of their application.
Finally, anyone applying for Social Security disability benefits must also be unable to work any job that they would otherwise be qualified to perform. In general, the younger someone is, the more likely it is that Social Security will see that person as having skills that are transferrable. This is where it is important to have a strong legal team.
