When an employee is unable to work for an extended period of time due to a physical ailment, a long term disability plan can help cover a portion of the worker’s salary, and allow the employee less of a financial burden as well as the opportunity to heal.
The Social Security Administration (SSA) has created a formalized process of determining whether or not you are disabled under their strict definitions and guidelines. Their method of deciding is based on criteria that can be answered in five simple questions, in accordance with their manual of qualifying disabilities. To move onto the next in the series of questions you must be able to answer “yes” to each individual question. Question number three is: “Is your condition found in the list of disabling conditions?”
The Blue Book lists physical and mental impairments that automatically qualify you for Social Security disability benefits, as long as they are of a certain severity and impact your life to a specific level. Provided that such criteria is met, the following is a list of some of the physical conditions that qualify for long-term disability:
• Musculoskeletal problems, such as neck and back injuries
• Spinal cord injuries
• Cardiovascular conditions, like coronary artery disease and heart failure
• Respiratory illnesses, such as asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
• Immune system disorders, like HIV/AIDS, lupus and rheumatoid arthritis
• Cancers
• Brain and head injuries
• Kidney disease and liver disease
The above is only a brief, broad list of qualifying physical conditions that are listed in the Blue Book. It should be noted that if you have an ailment or condition that is not listed in the Blue Book, you are not automatically unqualified for long-term disability benefits, although it is generally more difficult to gain benefits in this scenario. You can be awarded disability benefits if your disability is found to be “equaling a disability listing,” or if your condition prevents you from being able to work based on the SSA’s criteria and findings.
If your physical condition does qualify you for long-term disability benefits, it is important to understand that the terms of coverage range in the percentage of salary that they cover, as well as how long each individual will be covered. The SSA may even ask that the person on disability find another, more sedentary career to go into. Contact a long term physical disability attorney at Burke, Harvey & Frankowski, LLC who can help you determine your eligibility and the steps that you can take to qualify for benefits.