After a workplace injury or work-related illness, some people eventually move from receiving workers’ compensation (WC) to applying for Social Security Disability (SSD) benefits.
If you’re in the position, it’s important to understand that the amount you receive in WC or other disability benefits can impact your SSD benefits (if your claim is successful).
How the Social Security Administration caps your benefit amount
The Social Security Administration (SSA) has a cap on what an SSD recipient who also receives other public disability benefits, such as those provided by the local or state government or workers’ compensation, may earn. The federal agency doesn’t allow recipients to exceed more than 80% of their average pre-disability earnings.
Are there any public benefits that don’t affect SSD ones?
There are specific local and state government benefits you may receive that may not impact how much SSD you receive. This exclusion generally only applies when the covering entity takes Social Security (SS) tax deductions from your earnings.
Any Supplemental Security Income (SSI) or Veterans Administration benefits may not affect how much in SSD you’re eligible to receive, unlike WC and other public benefits.
Additional factors that may affect how much in SSD you receive
You should keep the SSA abreast of any changes in the benefits you receive, whether they increase or decrease or stop altogether. It may either positively or negatively affect how much SSD you qualify to receive.
It’s not uncommon for WC recipients to receive a lump-sum settlement from their employer or insurer for their on-the-job illness or injury. A large payment such as this can have also had an impact on SSD.
Sorting out how one type of disability benefits affects your eligibility for SSD isn’t easy. A Social Security Disability attorney who is keen on helping you receive the benefits you deserve can assist with your Oklahoma City case.