Visual impairment can pose a tremendous challenge and impede working capabilities. Fortunately, if your legal blindness has put a burdensome obstacle in your way of working, you can potentially get financial aid through Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI). However, you must follow specific procedures to ensure your application fits the criteria for SSDI aid eligibility.
Understanding the Process of Applying for SSDI Benefits Due to Legal Blindness
In the US, a standard of 20/200 vision or worse in a person’s better eye with corrective lenses, if available, and a visual field limitation to an angle of 20 degrees or less defines legal blindness. If you meet this standard and prove it with medical evidence, you can begin receiving SSDI benefits due to blindness. The below steps will help guide you through the process.
First Step: Evaluate How Much Your Blindness Restricts You
Legally blind individuals currently number over 1.3 million in the United States. For this reason, the Social Security Administration (SSA) needs to know how much of an obstacle vision impairment puts in the way of work and self-care tasks. If your loss of vision results from macular degeneration, your center of vision may be exceptionally blurry or distorted.
Blurriness can make everyday activities, such as driving, maneuvering on foot, and cooking or cleaning, demanding. If you are less capable of taking care of yourself due to your vision impairment, chances are that the Social Security Administration will approve significant benefits on your behalf. Therefore, it is crucial to evaluate how much your blindness impacts your quality of life.
Second Step: Obtain Test Results From the Blue Book That Assert the Extensiveness of Your Blindness
When reviewing an application for SSDI benefits centered on blindness, the SSA references the Blue Book. It contains information regarding all approved impairments and the tests necessary for their inclusion in the program. If you have been legally declared blind through approval tests, they will automatically accept you as a valid SSDI applicant under Blue Book section 2.00.
Nevertheless, even if your blindness does not fit the criteria outlined in the Blue Book, there is still a chance to receive benefits. An essential part of the approval process is establishing that your visual deficiencies are extensive enough to require assistance.
Using evidence such as an eye muscle strength exam, a visual acuity test, or a retinal-response examination will boost your chances for success. Benefits for blindness attorneys can aid in providing suitable forms and evidence for processing and then advise on the approval result.
Third Step: Assemble Information Needed to Submit the SSDI Application
To successfully apply for SSDI assistance due to blindness, you must provide the SSA with your residency proof, references, and Social Security number. Your SSDI application must include comprehensive medical reports to show the extent of vision loss in each eye and how this impairment impacts your lifestyle. You must show that it is overwhelming, and tasks like cooking or traversing are impossible.
Besides, you must provide tax records and work history as part of the application process. By providing information about the taxes you have paid throughout your working years, as well as details on whether you stopped working due to a disability, they can obtain an accurate understanding of your situation.
For the SSA to approve the benefits, you must meet or exceed the required level for your age. The more information you can provide during your application, the higher your chances of acquiring approval since the SSA will be in a better position to assess your situation.
Fourth Step: Submit the Application and Wait for a Decision
After figuring out if your vision impairment qualifies you for SSDI benefits and getting all the information you need to complete an application, you can start preparing. Before sending it in through the SSA branch in person, via the website, or by email, ensure all your documents are complete and in order. The SSA does not accept incomplete forms, so missing documents or incorrect information could cause unnecessary delays or even denial of your application.
The SSA will review the collected evidence and decide whether they will grant you SSDI benefits based on blindness. An SSA representative may ask you for additional documents, such as medical records or wage information, as part of the approval process. It can take three to six months to receive your eligibility certification, including a report of your medical condition and a decision outlining if the disability-related aids were agreed upon or denied.
Conclusion
Applying for SSDI benefits based on blindness is a complex process that sometimes requires professional legal assistance. An attorney specializing in the SSDI program’s requirements can guide you through the details while considering your circumstances. Gather all the requisites and include all information accurately in your application. With the right resources, you can maximize the chances of approval and potentially receive benefits for your physical disability.