FAQ’s
Social Security
To create an account, visit the my Social Security section of the Social Security Administration’s website (www.ssa.gov) and select either Login.gov or ID.me. These are the two secure services currently used by the federal government to verify your identity and access Social Security’s online services.
You must be at least 18 years old and have a valid email address to create an account. During the registration process, you may need a government-issued photo ID, a telephone number, and a device with a camera. Once your identity has been verified, you can use your account to check the status of a pending claim, review your earnings history, obtain benefit verification letters, and manage existing benefits.
Social Security Disability Insurance, or SSDI, is generally available to individuals who have worked and paid Social Security taxes long enough to become insured for disability benefits. The amount of an SSDI payment is usually based on the individual’s past earnings record.
Supplemental Security Income, or SSI, is a needs-based program for individuals who are disabled, blind, or age 65 or older and who have limited income and financial resources. SSI eligibility is not based on how long a person has worked.
The medical standard for determining disability is generally the same for adults applying under either program. Some applicants may qualify for both SSDI and SSI at the same time.
In most cases, you have 60 days after receiving the denial notice to file an appeal. Social Security generally assumes that you received the notice five days after the date printed on it unless you can show that you received it later.
Do not wait until the deadline approaches. Missing the appeal deadline could result in the dismissal of your appeal and may require you to begin the application process again. A late appeal may sometimes be accepted when there is good cause for missing the deadline, but an extension is not guaranteed.
Contact our office as soon as possible after receiving a denial so that we can review the notice and determine the applicable deadline.
The amount of time varies from case to case. According to the Social Security Administration, an initial disability decision generally takes approximately six to eight months after the application is submitted.
The process may take longer depending on the nature of your medical conditions, how quickly Social Security receives your medical records, and whether you must attend a consultative examination. If the initial application is denied and additional appeals are necessary, the entire process can take considerably longer.
Providing complete information about your medical treatment, medications, work history, and healthcare providers may help prevent unnecessary delays.
Worker's compensation
If you are injured at work, report the injury to your employer or supervisor as soon as possible—even if the injury initially seems minor. Under Missouri law, failing to report a workplace injury within 30 days may jeopardize your ability to receive workers’ compensation benefits.
After receiving notice, your employer or its insurance company should arrange for appropriate medical treatment. In Missouri, the employer or insurance company generally has the right to select the authorized treating physician. Authorized treatment, prescriptions, and medical devices should be paid by the employer or workers’ compensation insurer without a deductible. Seeing a doctor who has not been authorized may result in you being responsible for the bill.
Missouri law prohibits an employer from firing or discriminating against an employee when the employee’s exercise of workers’ compensation rights is the motivating factor for the employer’s action. An employee who is unlawfully discharged or discriminated against may have the right to file a separate civil lawsuit for damages.
However, filing a workers’ compensation claim does not provide an absolute guarantee that your job will be protected. An employer may still take action for legitimate reasons unrelated to the claim, such as layoffs, documented misconduct, or other lawful employment reasons. Missouri’s workers’ compensation law also does not necessarily require an employer to create a new position if, after completing medical treatment, an employee is physically unable to perform the job.
The Missouri Second Injury Fund, commonly called SIF, is a state-administered fund that may provide benefits in certain workers’ compensation cases. One purpose of the Fund is to provide benefits when an employee had a qualifying preexisting disability before sustaining a new work-related injury and the combination of the conditions results in permanent total disability. In those cases, the employer is generally responsible for the disability caused by the most recent work injury, while the Fund may be responsible for qualifying additional benefits.
Eligibility requirements are technical and depend heavily on the date of injury, the nature and extent of the preexisting disability, and the medical evidence. Contact our office to see if we can assist you with a possible SIF claim.