This is a difficult day and age to find oneself out of work for any reason, up to and including injury or disability. However, thankfully there are disability benefits to help take the edge off in regards to the fallout.
According to Florida’s official state website, there are currently more than 690,000 Florida residents receiving one form of disability benefit or another. That adds up to more than 7.7 billion dollars that are currently being paid out to help people just like you with the basic costs of living. These include food, housing, utilities, and other necessaries.
In Florida, your application for disability pay will be handled by the Florida Division of Disability Determinations. In order to qualify, you must meet a number of predetermined criteria before you can begin taking advantage of your benefits.
Applying and Qualifying for Florida Disability Benefits
You can apply for your state disability benefits through the federal Social Security and Supplemental Security Income programs set up for the purpose. Alternatively, benefits can be applied for via the state’s Medically Needy program if necessary. Required forms can be obtained and turned in at your local social security office.
From there, your application will be passed forward to the Division of Disability Determinations. This is actually the place where your information will be reviewed for eligibility. After that, a final determination is made by the Social Security Administration. If approved, you will begin receiving your benefits at that time.
Who Qualifies for Disability Benefits?
People who qualify for disability need to meet a number of criteria including but not limited to the following:
- The person must have a work history that qualifies. Said work history must include both sufficient earnings and recent work.
- The person in question must also meet a “duration of work” standard. This standard covers how long a given individual has worked over the course of their lifetime.
- Other standards determined by medical evaluations and doctor recommendations.
In order to continue to receive benefits, the person must continue to qualify when periodic reviews are conducted on their situation.
If you need help navigating or understanding the law in regards to Florida state disability requirements, you may want to consider contacting an attorney for a consultation. The right attorney can help make sure that you get all of the benefits you have coming to you in a timely manner.
