Houston Social Security Disability Law Blog

What happens when a Houston resident has worked for years, has paid Social Security payroll taxes, but becomes disabled before retirement age? People in this situation may be eligible for Social Security Disability benefits. These benefits exist to provide assistance to eligible workers. Far from being a government handout, Social Security Disability is run as an insurance program to benefit people who have paid into the system.

Last week we told you about some funding issues the Social Security Administration was facing. As baby boomers retire or become eligible for disability benefits, the system has been strained, with claimants taking the brunt of it with delays in approvals. Congress responded by boosting the SSA's budget by $480 million. This is likely a start down the right path in terms of the changes that must be made so that people who've paid into Social Security can get the benefits they've earned.

When a worker is injured while performing their job duties at their place of work in Texas - or in a place related to work - their only recourse is, typically, workers' compensation. But in cases where the injury prevents someone from returning to work for a long period of time or reduces their ability to hold a job, the worker may also be able to qualify for Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) benefits.

Workers' compensation benefits are administered at the state level, but SSD benefits are disbursed by a federal trust fund that the Social Security Administration (SSA) oversees. Increases in the numbers of SSD claimants - almost 60 percent - since 2001 have resulted in delays, an overburdened system and allegations that states are attempting to relieve themselves of workers' compensation claimants by shifting them to SSDI.

Many different medical conditions, both injuries and illnesses, can qualify people in the United States for Social Security Disability. Some people believe that only people with mobility issues or fatal conditions can qualify for Social Security Disability, but that is not the case. These benefits may be available to those with medical conditions that make regular work extremely difficult or impossible.

One such condition is fibromyalgia. For those who suffer from this condition, working a full-time job may simply not be an option. Pain, exhaustion and issues with cognitive function can all impact job performance and safety for professionals. Those with fibromyalgia may want to consider applying for Social Security Disability if working a job proves too difficult.

In a report released this month, the U.S. Government Accountability Office again faulted the Social Security Administration for the way in which it conducts business, particularly with regard to Social Security Disability Insurance benefits. This month's report was issued on the heels of a report from earlier this year that found wildly inconsistent results in hearings involving similar claims. The new findings note the challenges that the SSA must overcome to deliver the levels of service required to meet the needs of disability claimants.

When it comes to Social Security Disability, SSA's challenges stem largely from one source: Baby Boomers. As more of the 80 million Baby Boomers reach the ages that are most disability-prone or retire, they put a tremendous strain on SSA resources that could otherwise be used to improve infrastructure, technology and service delivery. What's more, thousands of SSA employees are Baby Boomers themselves. The agency anticipates that more than 20,000 employees will retire by the end of the 2022 fiscal year. With them will go institutional knowledge, as well as leadership, creating additional management challenges for the SSA.