Can Someone With TBI Apply For Disability Insurance?
65If you visit some online community forum, you will see so many threads on can someone with Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) apply for disability insurance? The answer to this question is absolutely yes. If someone is unable to work due to his traumatic brain injury, such a person can apply for traumatic brain injury support. Note that, you can only be considered disabled if one has a physical or mental impairment which prevents him or her from working and for at least twelve months or result in death.
The Government of most countries has designed various traumatic brain injury programs for victims. Simply read through the rest of this article to have adequate information on TBI disability insurance and how you could apply for such support.
How to Apply For TBI Disability Insurance
The Federal Government Social Security Disability Insurance Benefits widely known as SSD has been provided to help cater for the needs of those suffering from disability like those having TBI disability and therefore are unable to work again. And one of the good advantages of SSD is that, if the traumatic brain injury is too complex that such person can not even manage his or her entitlements, the Social Security Administration can appoint a Representative Payee who will assist the person. Therefore, it is advisable for someone that needs TBI insurance to apply for SSD program.
Another way to apply for disability insurance is through Supplemental Security Income (SSI) which also a Federal Government benefit program that pays benefits to the disabled adults and children with very low income and assets so that they can meet some basic needs of life like food, clothing, and shelter. Visit the Supplemental Security Income support website if you need TBI insurance.
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Sue B. Level 3 Commenter 13 months ago
It is nice to see someone write an article this specific about TBI and Social Security Benefits.
I work within the field and do have additional information to add. Feel free to contact me.
In terms of applying for Social Security Benefits, yes individuals with TBI should apply. Unfortunately since people with TBI often have "invisible" deficits, the physician and psychiatrist reports required for the application may not show anything. I recommend anyone with a TBI obtain their own medical records demonstrating their disability as this is typically cognitive. A neuropsychologist may be able to supplement the required psychiatric and phyiscal examination reports.
In order to qualify for SSI or SSD, they need to determine your disability to have lasted, or likely will last, at least 1 year. SOmetimes people apply to early and are denied initially.
I have seen many people receive a denial because their application was incomplete (the reports they submitted did not show exactly how they are disabled) or because they lack any physical disabilities and Social Security has a hard time looking at someone walk in and believe they are unable to work.
My suggestion to anyone who has already received a denial is to contact a lawyer well versed with Social Security. They typically take the first 1-2 months payments as their fee if they win so if you already were denied, it would make sense to at least try if you will not owe the lawyer anything if they lose.
Secondly, I wanted to add some information about what SSD and SSI are.
SSD is social security disability income. This can be applied for when you become disabled and you have worked and paid into social security in general for 10 years and this work experience was within the last few years. Not everyone qualifies for SSD. People who are injured very young, those who have not worked long enough or those who have not worked recently enough. This is where SSI comes in.
SSI stands for Supplemental Security Income. Although you do need to prove you are disabled for this benefit, you also need to show your income is below the poverty level. There are very distinct differences between SSI and SSD and many individuals group them together. Some people have both SSD and SSI if their SSD award amount is still below the poverty level while others will only receive SSD or SSI.
It is important to note that individuals with disabilities desperately need health insurance.
After 2 years (and I don't know why it is this long but this is how it is) of receiving SSD, the individual will be eligible for Medicare.
If an individual is eligible for SSI, they will be eligible for Medicaid.
Applyiing for income benefits and health insurance after disability can be devastating for a family and individual. It is overly complicated and beyond frustrating. I highly suggest family members connect with someone who can guide them through the process.