Personal Injury Lawyer

Applying for social security disability can be a complicated process. It can be even more so if you are applying for someone other than yourself — perhaps your child. The Social Security Administration (SSA) has specific requirements and guidelines for applying for disability benefits for a child that differs slightly from those for an adult. according to the Social Security Administration, in order for a child to qualify for benefits, he or she must be disabled and have “little or no income or resources.” If a family’s income exceeds a specified limit, for example, a child may not qualify even if he or she is disabled. The program is meant to be of assistance for American families with little or no other recourse.

The first step to applying for disability payments for a child is to schedule a disability interview. The interview will be conducted by the Social Security Administration in the child’s state. The state office will also consider medical and school records, and perhaps interview other people close to the child. For a child’s condition to be considered a disability it must be something that severely limits daily activities — the condition can be either mental, physical, or both. It also must be a condition expected to last at least one year or to result in death.

It can take up to four months to receive a response once the agency has begun the review process. Many families who are initially turned down for such benefits appeal the decision and are granted benefits after appeal. Even if benefit payments are not a possibility for your family, your child may instead qualify to enroll in Medicaid. (If a child is approved for disability payments, he or she will automatically qualify for Medicaid.)

Another route, according to the SSA, could be to enroll a child in your state’s Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP). The Social Security Administration may also provide a reference to agencies “for social, developmental, educational, and medical services.”

If a child is approved for social security disability benefits, it does not preclude his ability to work. According to the SSA, a child’s earnings are not counted to determine whether or not the child qualifies for social security disability, even if the child is a student.

If you or someone you know has questions about social security disability in Cook County, the most important step is to seek the counsel of a social security disability income attorney in Bristol, TN.

Thanks to The Law Office of Mark T. Hurt for their insight into Social Security disability law.