People in Oklahoma who have an injury, illness or condition that prevents them from working can seek disability benefits from Social Security. While there is often a wait time to be approved for SSD benefits, there are some applicants who need their benefits faster than others. This can be because the conditions from which they suffer are of sufficient severity and progress with such rapidity that they are deemed to have met the requirements and will get their benefits without the normal amount of time elapsed. This is through the Compassionate Allowances program.
The Social Security Administration is obligated to provide these benefits to people whose issues are so blatant that there is no reason to wait to approve them. With CAL, these conditions and illnesses can be identified quickly to decide that they meet the requirements under the Listing of Impairments. This will be based on the minimal amount of medical information necessary. CAL lets the SSA find the people whose disability is clear and provide them with benefits. This is not separate from the available disability programs. It is simply a strategy to expedite the cases that qualify.
Conditions that are categorized as eligible for CAL are selected through public outreach hearings, comments the SSA receives, expert assessments from medical and science professionals and National Institute of Health research. In addition, the SSA will consider conditions that are likely to meet the requirements for disability.
Having legal help is essential. Those who are ill, disabled or have been injured and believe they meet the criteria to receive their SSD benefits more quickly through CAL should discuss the matter with a Social Security disability attorney to take steps to use this program.
Source: ssa.gov, “Compassionate Allowances,” accessed on May 1, 2017