You get injured and you know that you can’t work. The injuries are just too severe. You know that you’re going to heal to some extent, but it’s unclear if that healing will ever be complete — as is often the case with serious issues like traumatic brain injuries or spinal cord injuries.
In any case, you expect the issue to last for at least 12 months. That means that you may qualify for disability benefits via the Social Security Administration (SSA). If your issue is still making it impossible to work for longer than a year, you can continue to get them. Many people get long-term benefits or have conditions that will never fully heal at all. There is help when you need it most.
How fast do you need to act?
Among many other questions to ask yourself in a situation like this, you’re likely wondering how fast you need to apply. Is there a time limit? Can you put this off for so long after the accident that you no longer qualify for benefits that you certainly would have gotten before?
There is a time limit. Individuals who have these types of long-term injuries need to pursue their claims within five years. If you wait for too long, you could lose out on benefits that you not only deserve, but that you need. Don’t delay this process.
Plus, it’s important to remember that it can take months just to get a decision. The SSA itself admits that it’s usually somewhere between three months and five months, and that it could be even longer. If you get denied, then you may want to appeal, which makes it take even longer.
In short, there are many reasons you don’t want to delay things. The deadline to apply is just one of them. The faster you get this process started, the sooner you can get the benefits that you need as you adjust to this new life and concentrate on healing as much as possible.
What should you do next?
With this understanding of the time a claim can take, you need to learn what next steps to take and how to get the process underway.