What Is Presumptive Disability?

Before you are approved for Supplemental Security Income (SSI), your disability must be assessed. This can be not very pleasant since assessments can take months.

In the meantime, you’ll be left without any income. Things are slightly different if you have a presumptive disability, however. If you have a presumptive disability, you could start receiving SSI payments immediately. While your case will still be reviewed, you won’t be left without an income for long periods. So, what is presumptive disability?

Presumptive disability is when you have a disability so serious that it is almost guaranteed that your SSI will be approved. For example, if you are suffering from total deafness or blindness or have a terminal illness with a life expectancy of 6 months or less.

On this page, we want to share how presumptive disability works. We’ll also inform you how soon you can receive SSI payments if approved for presumptive disability.

What Is Presumptive Disability?

As we said, when you have a presumptive disability, your condition is so serious that you are likely to have your SSI assessment approved. When you are approved for a presumptive disability, you won’t have to wait months for the standard assessment to be carried out. You’ll receive payments right away. While your case will still need to be assessed, you won’t be asked to pay anything back if your case is eventually rejected.

There are several conditions that can result in a presumptive disability assessment. This includes:

• Terminal illnesses with a life expectancy of under 6 months.
• Leg amputations at the hip.
• Blindness
• Deafness
• ALS
• Renal disease where you are receiving dialysis
• Stroke that is impairing your life (there are limitations here)
• Total bed confinement due to a long-term health condition (not an injury).

There are many more situations where you may qualify for presumptive disability. It may be worth talking to a disability claims lawyer. You can receive important information about whether your presumptive disability claim will likely be accepted. They can also help to gather evidence to ensure the claim has a strong chance of being approved.

When Do You Receive The First SSI Payment For Presumptive Disability?

In most cases, your first payment should arrive within a few days, or within a week. Claims for presumptive disability are handled very quickly. Although, you’ll need to submit the right evidence. Presumptive disability claims can be rejected if you don’t supply enough evidence to demonstrate that you have a presumptive disability. 

How Do You File a Claim for Presumptive Disability?

You can file a presumptive disability claim online. You will fill in the standard form for SSI. You’ll have to acknowledge that you have a presumptive disability. It is important that you fill in the form correctly or you could be waiting 3-4 months for your disability to be assessed. Once again, this is why working with a disability lawyer can be incredibly beneficial. It will ensure that your claim is accepted the first time. 

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