If you’re injured at work, you should file a workers’ compensation claim to receive the benefits you’re entitled to. You may also think about filing for Social Security Disability Insurance, or SSDI. But how does workers’ compensation affect SSDI?
What is Workers’ Comp?
Workers’ compensation is the money you receive after an injury at work or an illness caused by your job. You’re entitled to various benefits, including payment for medical bills and money towards your lost wages. You’ll work with a HammondTownsend attorney to file a workers’ compensation claim and to go through the process. Workers’ compensation is governed by each state and is paid to you by the workers’ compensation insurance company of your employer. By Virginia law, almost all employers must have workers’ compensation coverage.
What is SSDI?
Social Security Disability Insurance, or SSDI, is a federal program that allows workers who are disabled badly enough that they cannot work and have enough work credits to receive some Social Security money before they turn sixty-five (65). You earn work credits for time you’ve spent working and paying tax into the Social Security system. The exact number of credits you need to qualify for SSDI is different for different people, based on how much money you’ve earned, how old you are when you became disabled, and what year it is when you’re applying.
SSDI is for long-term disability only, and you must have a condition that prevents you either from working at all or from working to earn more than a specific amount of money. The maximum amount of money you can earn in a month and still qualify for SSDI changes regularly, but is quite low. HammondTownsend does not file Social Security Disability Insurance claims, but can connect you with attorneys who do.
How Do Workers’ Comp and SSDI Interact?
The injury or illness from your job that means you qualify for workers’ compensation benefits may also make you eligible for SSDI. For some people, however, their SSDI payments are reduced because they are receiving workers’ comp benefits.
Also, someone who is receiving both workers’ comp benefits and SSDI payments may need to pay tax on the full amount of the SSDI payments, even if the total amount is reduced. Workers’ comp payments do not have federal or state (Virginia) tax.
Workers’ compensation benefits do not affect regular retirement Social Security payments in any way.