Memphis Social Security Disability Lawyer | Pickford Law

How We Can Help You

Qualifying for SSDI

In order to qualify for SSDI, you must be insured. What does insured mean? Social Security keeps track of a person’s work credits during the course of their life. Workers may earn as many as four work credits every year. The number of credits needed to secure full benefits varies depending on the age of the person applying for benefits, how long that person has been working and how recently that person left the workforce. SSDI works like an insurance policy. When you stop paying your insurance premiums, your coverage lapses.  In this case, when you stop working, your SSDI coverage will lapse after a period of time.

In addition to being insured, your health impairment must qualify as a disability under the SSA guidelines. These guidelines cover a wide array of injuries and illnesses. 

SSA’s definition of disability is the “inability to do any substantial gainful (SGA) activity by reason of any medically determinable physical or mental impairment which can be expected to last for a continuous period of not less than 12 months or can be expected to result in death.”