There are many types of ailments that can qualify a person for disability benefits, but some individuals definitely have a more urgent need than others. Thankfully, the Social Security Administration recognizes this issue and has created a list of conditions that qualify for fast processing under their Compassionate Allowances program.
If you take a look at the list and find out that your condition qualifies, you can apply for benefits through the standard disability benefits process. The administration will then expedite it and contact you if they need any additional information.
The nice thing about the program is that those with qualifying conditions only need to have “minimal objective medical information” in order to verify that they suffer from the condition.
The administration adds new conditions to the list yearly after hearing comments from medical and scientific professionals, public hearings, and other communities.
In general terms, to qualify for benefits, the condition has to be considered a disability as defined by the SSA, and must interfere with a person’s ability to work. It must be a total disability. To receive Social Security Disability Income, the individual must meet certain criteria, such as no longer being able to work the job that they used to and not being able to transfer to another form of work because of their condition. The condition must also have lasted at least one year or there is an expectation that it will last at least one year, or that it will lead to death.
If you have applied for disability benefits and received a denial, it can be helpful to work with an attorney on your appeal.