| If you suffer from a severe physical or mental injury, it | | | | LTD coverage from the SSA. |
| can prevent you from the ability of working and | | | | However, if you pass this question, the SSA will then |
| earning money to provide for the needs of you and | | | | try to determine how severe your condition is. If your |
| your loved ones. When this happens, it is important to | | | | injury actually interferes with your previous work, then |
| prove that you have a long-term disability so that you | | | | it is considered to be severe. Keep in mind, though, that |
| can earn help from the Social Security Administration, | | | | an injury that hinders someone else from completing |
| or SSA. | | | | his or her job may not interfere with you and your |
| Because providing for someone with a long-term | | | | work. |
| disability, or LTD, can be expensive, the SSA is fairly | | | | If your injury is indeed severe enough to prevent you |
| strict about their requirements. The SSA does not | | | | from working, the SSA will look to see if your condition |
| offer coverage to those with partial or short-term | | | | is part of a pre-assembled list of permanently disabling |
| disabilities, so they must have a firm definition of | | | | medical conditions. If it is, you automatically qualify for |
| long-term disabilities. To have this type of injury, a | | | | coverage. If not, then the SSA tries to see if your |
| person must be unable to do the work that he or she | | | | injury is on the same level as one of the ones listed. |
| did previously. Additionally, this injury must prevent you | | | | To help decide, the SSA will try to see if you can go |
| from learning to do another type of work. Lastly, the | | | | back to doing the work you did prior to the injury. If you |
| repercussions from the injury must be predicted to last | | | | can, then you will be denied coverage. Lastly, they will |
| at least a year or result in death. | | | | also look to see if you are able to learn and perform |
| Next, to help determine if your LTD fits these | | | | another type of work that is not affected by your |
| qualifications, the SSA asks a series of five questions | | | | injury. |
| regarding the extent of your injury. First, the | | | | All of the paperwork and filing necessary to prove |
| Administration checks to see if you are working now, | | | | your disability can be confusing. To help you prove |
| after your injury. If you are able to work and earn at | | | | your case, you should talk to a long-term disability |
| least $1,000 per month, then you will not qualify for | | | | lawyer about your options. |