Do I Qualify for Disability Benefits After a Car Crash?

If you have been injured as result of a car accident, you may qualify to obtain Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) benefits to help cover expenses for your injuries.

Our Phoenix Social Security Disability lawyers can help you pursue benefits from the Social Security Administration (SSA) if you have become disabled after a car crash.

Contact us today for a free, no obligation consultation.

SSA Requirements for Disability

The SSA has specific requirements you must meet in order to qualify for benefits:

• Your condition must be severe and greatly limit your ability to perform basic work tasks such as sitting, walking, lifting, standing and remembering information.
• Your disability must significantly affect (or be expected to affect) your ability to do work for at least 12 months or result in your death.
• Your disability must be found in the SSA’s list of disabling conditions. However, if your condition is not on the list, you may still qualify for benefits if the SSA determines you are disabled.
• Your medical impairment must prevent you from doing any work you have done in the past or any other type of work. The SSA will determine residual functional capacity (RFC) to decide whether or not there is any sort of work you could still perform such as simple, unskilled jobs.

In addition to these criteria, you must also have earned enough Social Security work credits from previous wages or self-employment income. The number of credits required to be eligible for SSDI depends on your age at the time you become disabled.

In most cases, you will need 40 credits to be eligible for benefits. Twenty of these credits must have been earned in the past 10 years, ending with the year your disability started. If you are younger with less work experience, you may be able to qualify for SSDI with fewer work credits due to age.

Injuries That May Qualify for SSDI Benefits

If you suffer from any of the following car accident injuries, you may qualify for SSDI benefits:

• Whiplash: You may be eligible for SSDI benefits if you have suffered whiplash in a car accident and your MRI shows visible neck and/or spinal injuries.
• Broken bones: If a broken bone prevents you from performing your job duties, you may be eligible for SSDI benefits.
• Burns: Burns from a car accident can prevent you from moving body parts and limit their function. 
• Back injuries: New or worsening of existing back injuries caused by an accident may make you eligible for benefits. These include nerve root compression, lumbar spinal stenosis and spinal cord injuries.
• Gastrointestinal bleeding: Severe bleeding in the esophagus, intestines or stomach requiring multiple blood transfusions may qualify for SSDI benefits.
• Traumatic brain injury (TBI): A TBI can limit your ability to complete work-related tasks and job functions, which may qualify you for SSDI benefits.
• Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD): PTSD can cause long lasting effects that prevent you from working. With a proper diagnosis made by a psychiatrist, you may qualify for benefits.
• Anxiety or depression: If anxiety, depression or other mental health issues resulting from your accident prevent you from working, you may be eligible for benefits.
• Multiple injuries: If you have suffered from multiple injuries that greatly prevent or inhibit your ability to do your job, you may qualify for SSDI.

Get Legal Help Today

If your car accident injuries have caused you to suffer a disability, you may be eligible for SSDI benefits that will help cover your expenses. Our Social Security Disability attorneys at Phillips Law Group are here to assist you in filing for benefits with the SSA and supporting your claim.

Request a free, no obligation consultation today and learn how we can help. Our firm charges no upfront fees and are only paid if we help recover fair compensation for you.

Call 1-800-706-3000 or fill out our Free Case Evaluation form now.