By Molly Clarke
Diabetes is a serious metabolic disease that afflicts 1 in 7 Americans. While most cases of diabetes can be controlled through medical intervention and lifestyle changes, some individuals with diabetes have a difficult time controlling their condition. When diabetes goes uncontrolled, an individual may experience a variety of medical complications that can seriously impair their ability to function normally.
If you suffer from severe health complications as a result of diabetes, you may be eligible for Social Security Disability benefits. These benefits can be used to offset lost wages due to unemployment, expensive medical treatment, and day-to-day living expenses.
Before jumping in to the different benefit programs and eligibility criteria, it is important to note that only diabetics with seriously debilitating complications will be approved for disability benefits. This only applies to individuals who continue to experience debilitating symptoms and side effects despite following medical advice and treatments. If you experience debilitating symptoms because you do not follow your doctor’s instructions, you will not be approved for benefits.
That being said, the Social Security Administration (SSA) offers two separate types of disability benefits. To qualify applicants must meet certain technical and medical requirements. The following article will outline these requirements and provide you with the information needed to begin the Social Security Disability application process.
Being disabled is the most basic requirement an applicant must meet in order to qualify for disability benefits. Although this may seem obvious, disabilities affect people to varying degrees. Because of this, the SSA has established an official definition of disability in an attempt to avoid confusion and to ensure that disability benefits are distributed to those who need them most.
The SSA considers a person to be disabled if they meet all of the following criteria:
- They have a physical or mental condition that prevents them from doing the work they are typically able to do.
- This condition makes it impossible for them to learn or adjust to a different type of work.
- This condition has lasted or is expected to last at least one year or otherwise result in death.
If a person does not meet all three of these criteria, they will not qualify for Social Security Disability benefits.