When you are injured or become ill how do you know what type of law or aid can protect your finances and provide for you will you are seeking treatment? Learn more about Worker’s Compensation, Accident Law, and SSDI to see which one pertains to you.
While Worker’s Compensation, Accident Law, and SSDI all relate to providing help to injured and disabled people, these three areas of law have meaningful differences. Because these areas of law and the programs that are associated with them can be difficult to differentiate, it is important to know how they differ. With that knowledge you can better understand the various benefits you may be entitled to through each area of law.
Social Security Disability Law
Social Security Disability law helps people who are too injured or disabled to work, and its related programs provide financial help to these persons in need. The Social Security Administration has two programs that relate to injuries and disabilities: Social Security Disability(SSD) and Supplemental Security Income(SSI). While these programs are run by the same organization, they differ in many important ways. SSDI pays benefits to claimants and certain members of their families if they are considered “insured.” Being “insured” means that the claimant worked for a certain period of time while paying Social Security taxes.This differs from SSI which pays benefits to claimants based on financial need. When making an application to either of these programs, the SSA collects medical and other information about whether the claimant meets their definition of disability. The SSA will then decide whether to give the claimant disability benefits. If a claimant is initially denied disability benefits, he or she may appeal the SSA’s decision and may ultimately still receive benefits in the end.
Worker’s Compensation Law
Worker’s compensation law involves a no-fault system of benefits that is paid by employers to their employees when those employees suffer from work-related injuries or diseases. Both federal and state worker’s compensation programs exist to protect all kinds of workers. For employees who are injured in the scope or course of their employment, worker’s compensation provides wage replacement and medical benefits. Generally, an employee with a work-related injury or disease can obtain worker’s compensation benefits regardless of who was at fault, whether it was the employee, employer, or another third party. In exchange for these secured benefits employees relinquish their right to sue the employer for damages resulting from their injuries.
Accident Law
Accident law is a form of personal injury law that can be used by persons who have been injured in any type of accident. Whether a car accident, slip and fall, or dog bite, a potential plaintiff can sue the person or entity for the damages that the responsible party has caused. In this area of law, there is no formal government program that provides benefits to persons who have been injured in an acciden,t like there is for Social Security or Worker’s Compensation law. In accident law potential plaintiffs use the court system to bring suits against defendants who are responsible for their injuries. These plaintiffs let the justice system determine what relief they deserve. To protect one’s legal rights after an accident or an injury, a plaintiff would file a formal civil lawsuit against the person or entity responsible for the plaintiff’s injury. While a judge or jury may decide the ultimate form of relief for a plaintiff if the case goes to trial, most accident disputes are resolved through informal and early settlement.
Are you seeking assistance with an application for SSDI or SSI? Contact Attorney Neil H. Good online or call #(847) 577-4476.
