If you were in an Ohio motor vehicle collision or workplace accident, you may have suffered severe injuries that prevented you from returning to your normal lifestyle. You might be one of many recovering accident victims who are having a difficult time making ends meet because your injuries have caused a disability that makes you unable to work. Perhaps you’re considering filing for Social Security Disability (SSD) benefits.
The exact type of injuries you have suffered are part of what determines whether you are eligible to collect SSD benefits. The injuries you list on your application must be included on the government’s list of approved medical conditions for SSD eligibility. Also, just because your injuries might be on the list doesn’t necessarily mean that your request will be granted.
Several car accident injuries are on the approved list
The force of impact in a motor vehicle collision can do a lot of damage to numerous parts of your body. The injuries included in the following list increase the likelihood that your SSD application will be deemed eligible:
- Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
- Loss of vision or hearing
- Severe burns
- Brain injuries
- Whiplash
Any of these injuries can cause debilitating symptoms that make it impossible for you to earn a living.
Have you been unable to work for one year?
Another way in which your injuries can affect your SSD application is the time you have been unable to work. If you have suffered chronic pain, became paralyzed or have another accident-induced condition that makes you unable to work, you must have been unable to work for at least one year before submitting your application.
Don’t lose heart if your claim is denied
After describing your injuries in detail and filling out the rest of your application, there will be a waiting period, then you will learn whether your application was accepted or denied. In the case of the latter, try not to be discouraged. It is not uncommon for claims to be denied initially and then approved on appeal.
As for describing your injuries, the more detail, the better. In fact, one reason a claim may get denied is that the applicant’s description and explanation of his or her medical condition might be too vague. It’s helpful to ask someone who has experience in the SSD benefits process to review your application before submitting it. This is a way to obtain constructive feedback so that your application has the best chance possible to gain approval.