When a Detroit resident is seeking SSD benefits, he or she may come across many new terms used by the Social Security Administration throughout the application process. One term that is important to understand is disability onset date. A person’s disability onset date is the time at which his or her disabling medical condition made him or her unable to work.
An applicant who is approved for Social Security disability benefits will be able to receive benefits as of the date of his or her application. The disability onset date may impact a person’s eligibility for SSI or SSDI benefits, as well as his or her benefit pay period.
The SSA uses a number of factors to determine a person’s disability onset date. The agency will consider an individual’s allegations of when a disability began, his or her work history, medical records, as well as other applicable evidence. To evaluate work history, a district office of the SSA will compile a Work Activity Report that documents when an applicant stopped working. An applicant may submit extensive medical records in support of his or her application. Some conditions may progress slowly, making the determination of a precise disability onset date more difficult, but the SSA will use the medical records supplied to make an inference regarding an onset date. How strongly the agency considers each type of evidence will vary from case to case.
The determination of an individual’s disability onset date can be important for a Michigan resident. If you have questions regarding your benefits application or other disability questions, you may wish to consult with an attorney for guidance.
Source: FindLaw, “What is My Disability Onset Date?,” accessed July 1, 2016
