The Social Security system is designed to assist individuals throughout their life, not just after retirement. It provides benefits to replace wages when a worker is disabled or retired. Disability insurance benefits are available for disabled workers and their dependents who have fulfilled necessary eligibility requirements. Supplemental security income is a public-assistance program providing needs-based benefits according to Medicaid criteria, catering specifically to disabled people, those aged 65 or more, and visually-impaired individuals within certain income and resource limits.

Disability is defined in the Social Security Act as the inability to perform substantial gainful activity for at least 12 continuous months due to physical and/or mental impairment. These impairments may vary widely ranging from breathing problems, chronic heart disease, obesity, mental health issues such as depression or schizophrenia, blindness, deafness, and more.

The application process for social security benefits is comprehensive and lengthy, often spanning over two years from application to receiving benefits. There are three levels within this process: initial application, reconsideration, and hearings. Upon denial at any of these stages, an appeal has to be filed within a specified time limit or the case is restarted, unless ‘good cause’ is shown. Back benefits may be awarded to compensate for lost wages during waiting periods, and benefits may continue throughout one’s lifetime if they’re unable to work in the future.

Although attorneys aren’t required for this process, they can prove to be helpful. If you’re uncertain about it, you may want to look into obtaining legal guidance. Take informed decisions for a better outcome.

If you need to contact the SSA, their website and phone number can be found at ssa.gov, but if you’re confused about how to speak with a live person at Social Security Disability, try using services like eddcaller.com. It provides resources on how to contact SSDI, including tutorials that can guide you through the process of reaching an actual representative at Social Security Disability. Their walkthroughs can be incredibly helpful in navigating the often overwhelming process of trying to contact the SSDI.