If you or someone you love has experienced a spinal cord injury (SCI), you may be unable to work for an extended period of time. If you’ll be out of a job for over one year due a SCI, you could be eligible for Social Security disability benefits. The Social Security Administration (SSA) offers monthly financial payments for people in need while they’re unable to earn a gainful living.

Three Months and Social Security Approval

Before you apply for Social Security disability benefits, it’s important to note that the SSA looks for applicants who were involved in some kind of accident more than three months prior to applying and still have symptoms or complications that prevent them from working.

This means that if your SCI was recent, you should hold off on applying for three months regardless of your prognosis. Applying early could lead to an unnecessary denial and additional months of waiting for paperwork to be reprocessed.

Medically Qualifying After a SCI

The SSA utilizes its own medical criteria for qualification, known colloquially as the Blue Book, when evaluating all Social Security applicants. SCIs are listed under Section 11.08 of the Blue Book—Spinal cord disorders. Under this listing, there are three ways to qualify:

You have a “complete loss of function” of the affected area. This means you cannot feel or move your legs, arms, or a combination of both.
You have severely limited mobility in two limbs which leaves you unable to do any one of the following:
- Stand from a seated position
- Balance while standing or walking
- Walking without aid from a person or mobility device
You have notable limitation in your mobility but you’re still able to stand from a seated position or walk. In addition to your limited mobility, you have difficulty with one of the following areas of function:
- Understanding and applying learned information
- Interacting with others (in a workplace)
- Concentrating and finishing tasks
- “Adapting or managing” yourself, which essentially means controlling your emotions at work

The entire Blue Book can be found online on the SSA’s website, so you can always review the spinal cord disorder listing with your doctor or physical therapist to determine if you qualify.

Starting Your Social Security Application

The easiest way to apply for disability benefits is online on the SSA’s website. You can even save your application progress to be completed at a later date. If you’re unable to type, a family member can complete the application on your behalf.

If you’d prefer, you can also apply in person at your closest Social Security office. Just be sure to not “drop in”—you’ll need to make an appointment first! You can do so by calling the SSA toll free at 1-800-772-1213.

It typically takes claims three to five months to be approved. Once you’re enrolled onto disability benefits you’ll be able to spend your payments on rehabilitation costs or medical bills, hospital co-pays, rent or a mortgage, utility bills, or any other daily living needs.

Resources Found Via: