According to the Social Security Act, a claimant must meet certain criteria to qualify for either the Social Security disability program or the Supplemental Security Income program. Consulting an Indiana Social Security disability attorney can help you determine what qualifies for disability and whether or not your disability meets the requirements for assistance.
What qualifies for disability
Eligibility criteria

  • Your disability must be medically determinable. This means that your disability consists of a physical or mental difficulty that resulted from an anatomical, psychological or physiological abnormality.
  • This disability must be verified by accepted medical diagnostics.
  • Your disability must qualify under the “duration requirement,” which means that it ought to have already lasted a 12-month period, or is expected to do so. This also applies when the condition is expected to result in death.

Employment
In addition to other factors, such as your age, education and work experience, your Social Security disability attorney will examine your relationship with employment. You may qualify for Social Security disability if your disability prevented you from working in the past and will prevent you from working a widely available job in the future.
Keep in mind that the Social Security Act specifically excludes disability caused by drug or alcohol use. Should you suffer from drug or alcohol addiction, the Act specifies that this does not constitute a disability. 42 U.S.C. § 423(d)(2)(C).
The Supplemental Security Income program
The criteria listed above also apply to the SSI program. If you qualify for the SSI program, you may be eligible for minimum income allowance. Although the funding still lies below the federal poverty line, this program particularly assists those who have not worked enough to qualify for more substantial SS disability benefits.
As an Indiana Social Security disability attorney, Martin Barnes can help you determine what qualifies for disability. He can establish whether you fit these criteria and if you should proceed with your case. Please contact him at (317) 804-5058.