Social Security disability benefits help those who can’t work due to illness, injury or intellectual impairment. Half of the process involves proving that the applicant earned less than a designated amount. This half also includes the determination of whether or not the applicant can return to previous work or whether there are any other jobs that the applicant can earn a living under.
The other half involves providing proof that a condition not only falls on the list of impairments, but that it is sufficient enough to be considered severe. While half of the conversation involves the topic of work, the injury that acts as the basis of the second half of the discussion doesn’t have to be the result of an employment accident.
There are a number of accidents that can cause injuries that rise to the level of eligibility for Social Security disability assistance. For instance, a boating accident like the one that recently occurred at the Lake of the Ozarks could cause injuries that become the basis of an application.
According to the Missouri State Highway Patrol, there were two people injured shortly after a spark ignited near the engine. One of the injured boaters was conducting maintenance on the engine shortly after the boat had been refueled. Investigators noted that the boat was still docked when an explosion occurred.
This explosion left two people injured; a 19-year-old girl and the 44-year-old man who had been working on the engine.
Burn injuries are common in accidents involving an explosion, and they can take a long time to treat. In some cases, these injuries require medical care that lasts for well over a year. A SSD attorney may be necessary in these cases to determine if benefits are an option and help process an application in the most efficient way possible.
Source: connectmidmissouri.com, “Two injured in Lake of the Ozarks boat explosion,” Juliette Dryer, Sept. 15, 2013
