SSDI Claims for Vision and Hearing Loss

Have you lost your vision or hearing and are unable to work as a result? Depending on the extent of your sensory loss, you may able to file for Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) benefits. While many people erroneously assume that SSDI benefits are reserved only for individuals who become injured or ill, individuals who are prevented from working due to a loss of their senses can also be recipients of these benefits under the right circumstances.

Loss of vision or hearing can cause individuals to be saddled with expensive costs which can quickly snowball in the event that a person should be rendered unable to work. Medical exams, tests, hearing aids and eyeglasses, and corrective surgeries and treatments can cost thousands of dollars and are often not covered by insurance. Many medical insurance policies have provisions written into them that exclude or minimize coverage for expenses from naturally-occurring deafness or blindness.

Legal Blindness or Deafness

To compensate for this gap in coverage, the Social Security Administration (SSA) allows individuals who are deemed legally blind or deaf to be eligible to receive SSDI benefits. In addition to being legally impaired, a person's condition must prevent them from being able to safely complete the duties of their occupation in order to qualify.

• Blindness is legally defined as experiencing eyesight issues that prevent a person's vision from being corrected to 20/200 or better in their "better eye," or having a field of view that is less than 20 degrees.
• Deafness is defined as experiencing a degradation of a person's hearing of 60 to 90 decibels in comparison to their "better ear," or the hearing perception of the average adult. Individuals who require a cochlear implant of any kind are eligible for at least one year of SSDI coverage. Similarly, ear-related conditions affecting balance or tinnitus can also be considered hearing loss.

The SSA generally considers sensory loss to be more serious than physical injuries and therefore pays out higher SSDI benefits to individuals who experience blindness or deafness, even if only for a finite period of time.

Social Security Disability Insurance Lawyers in Sacramento

If you have become blind or deaf and are unable to work, the Sacramento Social Security Disability Insurance Attorneys at Disability Action Advocates can walk you through the process of filing for your entitled benefits and handle any issues that should arise regarding your filing on your behalf. Having successfully represented thousands of clients throughout our firm's 20+ years of practice, we have what it takes to get the results you need.

Call (888) 421-8705 or schedule a free consultation today to find out more about how we can help.