Are Expedited SSD Benefits Possible?

When you have suffered a serious injury or have developed a debilitating illness or condition, you are likely learning about seeking Social Security Disability benefits, or simply SSD benefits. It is important to know that, for most SSD benefit recipients, even if you are eligible to receive benefits, there will be a five-month waiting period from the date that the Social Security Administration (SSA) determines that you meet its definition of a disability and meet other necessary requirements before you will begin receiving payments. For many individuals, that five-month waiting period can be extremely difficult. If you are in this situation, you might have begun researching options for getting your benefits faster, and you might have come across three terms that the SSA uses: presumptive, emergency, expedited, and compassionate allowances benefits.

What do these terms mean, and do they apply to you? Our national disability benefits lawyers can provide you with more information about the possibility of obtaining presumptive benefits, or expediting your case or receiving emergency SSD benefits.

What Are Expedited Payments? 

What are expedited payments? According to the SSA, there are several situations in which a person may be able to receive certain disability payments faster. Those include, according to the SSA:

• Presumptive disability payments (known as PD) or presumptive blindness payments (known as PB);
• Emergency advance payments;
• Immediate payments;
• Expedited reinstatement cases; and
• Compassionate allowances cases.

What Are Presumptive Disability Payments? 

Presumptive disability payments or presumptive blindness payments are payments that can be made “for up to 6 months while you are waiting for the Disability Determination Services (DDS) to make a final decision” about your disability benefits applications. The SSA grants PD or PB benefits “based on the severity of your condition, the evidence available at the time, and the likelihood that your claim will be ultimately approved.” It is important to know that these benefits are not paid based on your individual financial need for them. In order to qualify, your disability must usually be severe. The SSA provides a list of injuries or conditions that may allow for PD benefits or PB payments. To reiterate, presumptive payments are for claimants who are SSI recipients.

What Are Emergency Advance and Immediate Payments? 

Emergency advance payments are payments that can be made to a new claimant who experiences a financial emergency and who has been approved for Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits that either have not yet been received or that are delayed. To be clear, emergency advance payments are not for SSD recipients. These payments can only be made once. Immediate payments are also for SSI recipients.

Expedited reinstatement benefits may be possible for both SSI and SSD recipients in circumstances where benefits were terminated due to earned income.

What Are Compassionate Allowances? 

Individuals who are waiting on SSD benefits, regardless of whether they qualify (or not) for SSI benefits, may be entitled to faster payments under the Compassionate Allowances program. Claimants with specific conditions, such as cancers and rare disorders, may be eligible for expedited payments through this program. There is a list of conditions that may be eligible.

Contact a National Disability Benefits Attorney Today 

If you have questions about seeking SSD benefits, or you have inquiries or concerns about expedited or emergency SSD benefits, it is important to seek advice from an experienced lawyer. One of the national SSD benefits attorneys at the Law Offices of Stephen Barszcz can speak with you today about your circumstances.

Sources:

ssa.gov/ssi/text-expedite-ussi.htm

ssa.gov/compassionateallowances/