Cleveland Ohio Disability Benefits for the Blind
The Social Security Administration (SSA) offers disability benefits for people who are no longer able to work due to illness or injury. Blindness is one of the many different ailments that can befall someone to make them eligible for disability benefits. Blindness can be financially taxing as well as a physically and emotionally difficult issue with which to deal. Receiving disability benefits can help to defray the costs associated with the condition. Following is some basic information about applying for disability benefits for the blind.
The SSA’s definition of legal blindness
First, to know if you are eligible for disability benefits, you need to know and understand what the SSA considers as blindness. To be considered blind, the applicant’s vision with corrective lenses must be no better than 20/200 in the better eye or have a field vision limitation of the better eye is less than 20% of the width of the field. When a blind applicant makes a claim for disability, the SSA will compare the applicant’s condition with other conditions that are found in the Social Security Blue Book.
Available programs
People who are blind have two available options from which to choose: Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) and Supplemental Security Income (SSI). Applying for SSDI normally requires the applicant to have earned enough work credits. These credits are based on the amount of taxable income that has been made throughout one’s career.
Blind applicants who do not have enough work credits but have been unable to work for at least two years due to the condition, it is possible to apply for a Disability Support Pension through the SSDI program. Those who do not have enough work credits can apply for SSI benefits. SSI is a program designed for need-based, low-income applicants.
To qualify for SSI benefits must earn no more than $1,740 per month. When determining income, blind applicants can reduce all the costs of expenses that allow the ability to work. Blindness can be a burden to those who are afflicted with it. Receiving disability benefits can make the road a little easier to travel. If you or someone you love is blind and need financial assistance, you do not need to take the fight on alone.
A lawyer who advocates for disability benefits for the blind in Cleveland, Ohio can be your greatest ally and asset. Contact a disability lawyer today to begin the process of getting the benefits that are deserved. Liner Legal is located in Cleveland, Ohio, and office visits by appointment are also available in our satellite offices in Akron, Canton, Youngstown, and Sandusky.