If you’re no longer able to work or have been struggling with working because of an injury or illness, you may be wondering if you’ll be able to qualify for Social Security Disability Insurance. SSDI is an important safety net for people who can no longer work because of injuries or illnesses, but you will have to prove that you can’t work and meet the Social Security Administration’s requirements.
Before you stop working at your job, it’s time to start building your case for disability benefits. When you file your paperwork for SSDI, the SSA will ask for as much medical information as you can provide. It will help if you can also collect:
- Witness statements from those in your workplace, friends, family members and others
- Medical documentation showing the first day you were treated for the injury or illness as well as subsequent visits
- Photographs, videos or other documentation that you may want to submit with your claim to show how the injury or illness impacts you
- Imaging studies
- Injury reports from the workplace, if you were injured there
Once you have this information, you can get ready to make your SSDI claim.
How soon can you make a claim for SSDI?
You can make your claim within five years of when you stop working. Though this may seem like a long time, you may need to provide additional information to the Social Security Administration or take additional steps to make sure your claim is pushed through, and that can take many months or years, depending on the case. Keep track of the time closely, and make sure to follow up with your legal team if you receive a denial letter.