Florida residents who have an illness, injury or medical issue that negatively affects them to the degree that they believe they should be able to get Social Security Disability (SSD) might have severe symptoms. These symptoms can be so severe that they can get their benefits more quickly. As such, a common question is when payments can be expedited. Understanding how this expedited process works is important, especially for those with such severe disabilities.
There are four situations in which SSD benefits can be expedited. These situations include if it is a presumptive disability or presumptive blindness payment, an emergency advance payment, an immediate payment and expedited reinstatement cases. For presumptive disability or presumptive blindness, the claim will be for Supplemental Security Income. The payments can be made for as long as six months while waiting for a decision to be made on approval or denial. This will be contingent on how severe the condition is, not financial necessity.
There are other reasons for which the benefits for presumptive disability or presumptive blindness can be provided. If there has been a leg amputation starting at the hip; an allegation that there is total deafness; an allegation that there is total blindness; an allegation that the claimant is confined to bed and immobile, if no wheelchair, crutches or a walker are used and it is because of a longstanding condition — not because of an accident that occurred recently or a surgical procedure; an allegation that there was a stroke more than three months before and caused an inability to walk or use an arm or hand; an allegation of cerebral palsy, muscular dystrophy or muscular atrophy; and an allegation of Down syndrome.
Other reasons are if there is an allegation of mental deficiency for a claimant who is 7-years-old or older; a child who has not achieved a certain weight by the age of one; HIV infection or AIDS; a terminal illness with death expected in six months or fewer; a spinal cord injury hindering ambulation without a walker or hand-held devices for more than two weeks; end stage renal disease that makes dialysis necessary; and ALS (Lou Gehrig’s disease). Those who meet the medical requirements of these categories might be able to have their payments expedited.
Navigating the Social Security system is complicated. Speaking to a legal professional can provide assistance.
Source: SocialSecurity.gov, “Expedited Payments,” accessed on Aug. 4, 2015
