Q & A
I had a serious leg injury three years ago and received disability benefits for about 19 months until I could return to work. Unfortunately, my leg problems have returned and I may not be able to continue working much longer. When I first applied for benefits, I waited five full months before I was eligible to receive my first check. If I reapply for benefits, will I again be subject to this waiting period?
Answer: No. If you become disabled a second time within five years after your previous disability benefits stopped, there is no five-month waiting period before benefits start. If your claim is approved, you can receive benefits for the first full month of disability. However, it can take from three to five months to get a decision on a disability claim, depending on how long it takes to obtain your medical records and any other information we need to decide whether you are disabled. You can help shorten this time by providing as much information as possible when you apply for benefits. For more information about applying for benefits, we suggest that you review our booklet, Disability at www.socialsecurity.gov/pubs. You can apply online at www.socialsecurity.gov/applyfordisability.
This column was prepared by the Social Security Administration. For fast answers to specific Social Security questions, contact Social Security toll-free at (800) 772-1213. For more information, go to www.socialsecurity.gov.
Source: Newsok.com - December 8, 2013
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