When applying for Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) benefits, you carry a certain level of responsibility in supplementing your application with a sufficient amount of proof. Such proof should show the Social Security Administration (SSA) that you satisfy their strict list of eligibility criteria. For one, you may have to provide the SSA with your disability onset date, regardless of whether you incurred a physical disability/injury or a mental/emotional impairment. Continue reading to learn how to solidify your disability onset date and how an attorney experienced in SSDI eligibility in New Jersey, at The Law Offices of Sheryl Gandel Mazur, can help you in making this determination.
How is the onset date determined for my physical disability or injury?
Before all else, it is important to establish the correct disability onset date, as it determines when, how much, and if you can receive benefits in the first place.
With that, it may be easier to determine the date on which you incurred your physical disability or injury if it was caused by a catastrophic accident. For example, if you incurred a physical disability or injury due to a surgical error, your onset date may be the same as your surgery date. You will then supply the SSA with medical documents and bills that disclose your surgery date.
But if your physical disability or injury is not tied to a catastrophic event, then you may need to collect documentation of your work history; this is so the date on which you failed to return to work can portray your onset date. In addition, you may need to gather documentation of your medical history; this is so the date on which your health declined can reveal your onset date.
How is the onset date determined for my mental or emotional impairment?
Generally speaking, it is more difficult to prove your mental or emotional impairment. This is because this type of disability is not visible to the naked eye of an average observer. What’s more, you may have been suffering from this type of disability far before you became hospitalized. So, you may have to go to greater lengths to establish your onset date. Examples of proof that you may have to supplement your SSDI benefits application with are as follows:
- Medical reports, made by mental health professionals and facilities who have been treating you, before your hospitalization.
- Statements made by loved ones (i.e., family members, friends, coworkers, supervisors, school officials, etc.) that explain how long you have been suffering before your hospitalization.
- Statements made by hospital staff that explain how long you have been suffering before and during your hospitalization.
You should not have to go through the SSDI application process alone. Instead, you should seek the assistance of a skilled New Jersey SSDI attorney from The Law Offices of Sheryl Gandel Mazur. Contact our firm today.
