Disability in Alabama

All states are governed by the same federal legislative act, the Social Security Disability Act, which guarantees that people who are unable to achieve gainful employment because of a physical or mental handicap will be eligible to receive disability benefits. Filing for disability in Alabama is no different than other states in this respect. However, it is always good to know that this only applies for individuals who will be unable to work for at least 12 months or longer. Therefore, if you have a short-term act that prevents you from working for only a few months, you will not be eligible to qualify for social security benefits.

The Process of Qualifying for Disability in Alabama

There are many different parts that go into receiving benefits, but one of the most important things to remember about disability in Alabama is that you will need to remain patient. The application process has several rounds and can take many months before you are officially approved. In fact, after the paperwork is submitted (and possibly resubmitted), it could even take a year from that date before the applicant is even granted a hearing. Once the hearing has been conducted, it could take up to six months before you are given a verdict and you find out whether or not you can receive your disability benefits.

The Reconsideration Process

A little less than half of all applicants who apply for disability in Alabama are denied during the first phase of the process. This means that most people who apply will need to go ahead and file for their specific case to have reconsideration. All of this takes place before the actual hearing is granted, meaning that all of your paperwork will need to be in place months before you will ever even step in front of an Administrative Law Judge.

What can you expect from Disabilities Benefits?

Most people assume that what they are entitled to receive from the filing for disability in Alabama, or any other state, is a set amount, but this is not true. Disability is granted based on an average of how much you have earned over the past. Unless you are a child or under 31, you will need to have worked at least five years out of the last 10. The calculations are completely different for children and young adults.