Disability in Florida

If you are a Florida resident and have found yourself unable to work because of an injury, illness, or impairment, you may be eligible to receive disability benefits. We recommend you investigate eligibility for disability in Florida, disability for Social Security, SSI and disability, and worker compensation laws. Working people in Florida do not have the benefit of state-mandated temporary disability insurance. However, our state does work together with the Social Security Administration to determine a person's eligibility for the Federal long-term benefits. To ensure that you have short-term disability, private insurance may be purchased, either individually or through your employer. It should be remembered that Social Security does not cover short-term disability. However, in those cases, you may be able to qualify for workers' compensation benefits. Workers’ compensation is designed to cover you when you are out of work for a temporary illness or injury. If your medical condition turns out to be more permanent, then you may seek Federal benefits. In Florida, it is the Division of Disability Determination (DDD) which makes determinations as to the eligibility for these benefits. Residents of Florida who apply for long-term Social Security Disability Insurance should apply directly to the Federal agency or to the state's Department of Children and Families for assistance under Florida’s Medically Needy Program. This state program supplements Medicaid payments. As of August, 2010, Floridians could apply for these benefits while still working if their gross income fell to less than $900 per month. To qualify for these benefits, you must be suffering an illness or injury that will severely impair your ability to work for at least one year. The disability may be either physical or psychological. When applying, it’s required that you provide medical proof of your condition from a physician with your benefits application. Applicants for benefits must also prove that they are unable to perform any work other than what is required by their current position. This procedure may seem pretty simple. However, receiving your benefits without the assistance and support of an experienced disability attorney can be difficult. Unfortunately, qualifying for disability benefits can be difficult; in fact, at times it can seem impossible. Yes, the state and Federal disability systems exist to help you when you’re in need; unfortunately, convincing the government that you have a legitimate need for those benefits can be hard to accomplish. Having the help of an experienced attorney may greatly help your chances of being approved. There is much that disability lawyers can do for you; including helping you file your claim, processing all the complicated paperwork, and handling your appeal. Having a professional and experienced attorney working with you can make a big difference for your claim. You have already been knocked down once by being left unable to work, you don’t need to be knocked down again by the very system that is supposed to help you get back on your feet.