Can I Receive Social Security Benefits for a Car Accident?

While many car accidents result in only minor injuries, some accident-related injuries can have a lasting impact on your life. If your injury prevents you from working and is expected to last for a significant amount of time, you may consider pursuing Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) and/or Supplemental Security Income (SSI) to help cover your medical expenses, lost earnings and other expenses caused by the accident.

There are a wide range of injuries caused by car accidents that may qualify for Social Security Disability:

• Burns – If you suffer burns on your arms, legs, torso, head or face that impair functional use of a body part, you may qualify for benefits.
• Back injuries – Car accidents can cause new back injuries or worsening of pre-existing back problems. Some back injuries that may qualify for benefits include compression of a nerve root, spinal cord injuries or lumbar spinal stenosis.
• Soft tissue injuries – Whiplash and other soft tissue injuries are common in car accidents because of the sudden jolting of the neck during impact.
• Gastrointestinal bleeding – If you had serious bleeding of the stomach, intestines or esophagus that resulted in the need for multiple blood transfusions, you may qualify for disability benefits.
• Traumatic brain injuries – Traumatic brain injuries that prevent you from focusing on your work, completing your tasks or working with others may qualify you for benefits.
• Anxiety – Some mental health issues may arise or become worse because of a car accident, such as anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder, or depression.

Your injury must satisfy the Social Security Administration’s criteria for a disability to be eligible for benefits. This means you must have a long-term disability that impairs your ability to work for one year or longer. Short-term injuries are unlikely to qualify for benefits. You will also need documentation of your diagnosis and its severity from a licensed medical professional to have a chance of obtaining benefits. This documentation should also establish that your injury prevents you from working.

Contact our office today if you or anyone you know would like to learn more about qualifying for Social Security Disability benefits.

By: Joyce Trudeau of Premier Disability Services, LLC®