Any worker who gets disabled because of a physical or mental ailment may apply for Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) benefits. Once approved, not only will he or she receive monthly benefits, but also his or her dependents, particularly his or her children.

Every month, nearly 4.4 million children receive around $2.5 billion worth of benefits from their parents who are disabled. They also receive them if one or both their parents are either retired or deceased. Consequently, the amount of benefits they receive would help them sustain the necessities needed for them to live. Such Social Security benefits keep the family’s financial future stable.

If you have a child and you are receiving SSDI benefits, your child can also get benefits as long as your child is:

·         Your biological son or daughter;

·         Your adopted child; or

·         Your dependent stepchild.

The child must also fulfill the following requirements for him or her to receive disability benefits:

·         Must be unmarried;

·         Younger than 18 years old;

·         18 to 19 years old and a full-time student who is not higher than Grade 12; or

·         18 or older and also disabled.

Note that in the fourth requirement, your child’s disability must have started before he or she reached the age of 22.

In applying for benefits for your child, you must present his or her birth certificate and Social Security number, as well as your own SS number. If you are applying for disability benefits for your child, you have to collect medical proof that would help prove his or her disability.

Accordingly, the SSA could give your child’s claim either an approval or a denial. If you disagree with the latter, you can always file an appeal on behalf of your child. In this regard, it is advised that you retain the services of any Los Angeles Social Security Claim Lawyers.

Workers who are unable to work because of a disability should keep in mind that being partially impaired doesn’t qualify them for Social Security disability benefits. Accordingly, if you have a partial disability and you want to acquire benefits, you should talk with a Los Angeles disability lawyer to explore your possible options.

To begin with, the Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) program of the Social Security Administration (SSA) is designed to help people with total disability. Accordingly, to become eligible for SSDI benefits, you must meet the following criteria:


·         You are unable to perform work you once did;

·         You are unable to carry out any kind of work because of your disability; and

·         Your medical condition is expected to last for at least a year or is expected to result in death.


Medical proof is needed to be qualified for this program. You must have enough evidence that you indeed have a total disability, from lab results, clinical tests, doctor’s diagnosis, to your doctor’s statements regarding your limitations brought by your medical condition. The SSA would then determine if your disability falls on their Impairment Listing Manual or “Blue Book.” If the federal agency verifies your disability, then you are automatically qualified for total disability.


Incidentally, SSDI does not cover partial or even short-term disability; however, you can still qualify for other benefits, such as the following:


·         Worker’s compensation. If you got injured or you incurred a disability while you are on the job, you can receive worker’s compensation benefits. This program is designed to provide employees like you who were injured on the job with supplementary income and costs that are enough to cover your medical recovery and rehabilitation.




·         Long-term disability benefits. This is another option in which you can receive compensation so that you can recover from your injury right away. However, you may have to still work on a job, albeit on a less hazardous environment that wouldn’t compromise your condition and your recovery.