When individuals in West Virginia and other states across the country are unable to work because of an injury, illness or disability, this can be very problematic and life impacting for the individual. While Social Security disability benefits are available to those suffering from serious disabilities, those filing for benefits may not receive them following their initial claim. In fact, many are initially denied and will have to appeal this decision if they seek to collect SSD benefits.

A denied claim requires an applicant to go through the appeals process; however, this process is not always quick and often causes an applicant to make numerous appeals until they reach a favorable decisions or run out of options. However, due to a substantial drop in the Social Security Administration’s staffing, this has caused a major backlog in those attempting to appeal a denied claim.

In fact, recent data suggests that 1.1 million applicants are waiting an average 543 days for the person’s appeal at the hearing level. This wait is related to the staffing at the SSA dropping. According to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, there was a 14 percent staffing drop since 2010. That amounts to a loss of 1,989 workers who are no longer able to process disability claims.

This staffing shortage is a growing problem, especially for those appealing their denied claims. In fact, there are also staffing challenges in the appeals stage due to a shortage of administrative law judges available to hear disability claims. Due to these shortages, those applying for SSDI can roughly expect a 30-month wait to just receive a hearing.

While the SSA has released a plan to address these issues, it is projected that the problems of backlogs will not be resolved until the summer of 2020. Whether people are waiting for an appeal, waiting to hear a decision or are working on a SSD application, it is important to take the time to be fully aware of their rights and options. This will help progress the process when the time comes to act on a decision made by the SSA.

Whether young or old, West Virginians can never know what to expect when a disabling injury plagues them. No matter the cause, when an injury leaves an individual disabled, this could greatly impact their ability to meet basic necessities and pay monthly bills. Therefore, those suffering from such an injury often seek out assistance from government programs, such as Social Security Disability benefits, otherwise known as SSD benefits. 

SSD benefits help individuals and families who are financially constrained due to a loss in income from a disability. But, it can be difficult for beneficiaries or recipients of benefits to manage these benefits with other benefits he or she receives.

Although, it is not required to hire a financial advisor to help manage these benefits, it is still important to understand how these benefits are distributed and how they impact other family members. For example, a spouse could receive benefits, if he or she qualifies based on age or if parents are caring for a disabled child.

When a person receives SSD benefits, it is important to understand how long these benefits will remain in effect. It is also important to understand whether the recipient is required to prove eligibility every year or how benefits are impacted if a recipient returns to work part time or full time.

If it is clear that an applicant is receiving SSD benefits, it is advisable to determine the amount and for how long. Based on this information, a recipient should devise a workable financial plan. This could help them allocate the benefits, insuring that the finds are used to cover all necessary expenses.

Whether applying for benefits, required to prove eligibility or seeking to appeal a denied claim, it is important to understand the options available. This might mean taking additional steps to gain a better understanding the options from legal professional.