IF I OWN MY OWN BUSINESS AND HAVE A DISABLING CONDITION THAT PREVENTS ME FROM TECHNICALLY "DOING WORK" WITHIN MY BUSINESS, AM I ELIGIBLE FOR RECEIVING SOCIAL SECURITY DISABILITY BENEFITS?

Workers struggle to make ends meet while waiting for disability benefits

Few things can shatter your dreams and derail your plans for the future like an injury or illness that makes it impossible for you to work. Incapacitated men and women in New York are left with some serious questions: how will they make ends meet? Who will pay the bills? Will they lose their home? What about all the medical bills – how will they get paid?

Unfortunately, the situation is becoming even more dire for many New Yorkers, as the recession continues to loom. Authorities, already concerned about a spike in Social Security disability claims, are now predicting even more claims than they originally expected.

Social Security Claims Skyrocket

The unexpected jump in disability claims is largely in part to the baby boomer generation, many of whom are working harder than ever to save for retirement while at the same time entering their most injury-prone years. And with many people’s life savings wiped out, injured boomers often don’t have any choice other than to turn to SSA for help when they are too hurt or too sick to work.

A jump in claims is bad enough, but when more disability benefit claims hit the already overworked offices of SSD claims centers, the already unacceptable case backlog could get much worse. Consider these numbers: the number of people waiting for claims to be processed has jumped from 556,000 in October to 736,000 in July – an increase of 30 percent.

Will the SSD backlog get worse?

Adding to the problem, some states are actually furloughing claims processors in order to make ends meet. However, the furloughing of SSD claims processors baffles some experts because processors are federal employees and don’t fall under the state budget. Why states are choosing to furlough SSD claims processors is a mystery and only makes an already bad situation worse.

Social security disability claims eat up a huge portion of the Social Security Administration budget, with more money going towards disabled Americans than retirees. In fact, nearly twice as much money is spent on disability claims as on retirement benefits.

Even with the increase in cases Social Security Commissioner Michael Astrue believes the agency can still meet their goal of dissolving the backlog by 2013. Some SSD judges, however, think that goal is impossible, claiming that the number of cases they are supposed to work through in a year – 500 to 700 – is more that they can reasonably handle.

Is it time for you to get help with your disability claim?

The sad truth? Two-thirds of those who apply for SSD benefits are initially denied, however upon appeal – another lengthy process – 61 percent are approved. This means that unless you want to wait up to several years for your disability benefits, you better have an excellent claim the first time around.

To get help with your SSD claim or an appeals claim, please don’t hesitate to contact the Social Security Disability attorneys at Markhoff & Mittman. We can help you with your initial claim or your appeal, ensuring that all the required paperwork is filled out completely and professionally.

Markhoff & Mittman, P.C.

14 Mamaroneck Avenue

Suite 400

White Plains, NY 10601

Toll Free: (866) 205-2415

Phone: (914) 946-1452

Fax: (914) 946-0810