It is important that people in California are able to work. People need to earn income to pay bills and provide for their needs. There are many different reasons why people may be unable to work though. It could be a temporary injury or illness that keeps people out of work for a relatively short period of time. However, some injuries or illnesses prohibit people working for a long period of time and in some cases people will never be able to work again.
Many times when people think about these various types of injuries and illnesses, they may think about physical injuries such as spinal cord injuries or traumatic brain injuries. They may also think about illnesses such as cancer. However, there are many people who suffer from mental disorders which can be just as debilitating and physical injuries and illnesses. They can prevent people from in working in similar ways as the physical ailments.
People who have injuries and illnesses which prevent them from working may be able to receive social security disability benefits (SSDI). This includes people with mental disorders. However, people must meet certain criteria in order to receive the benefits.
Criteria for receiving SSDI due to mental disorder
There are 11 categories of mental disorders that qualify for SSDI benefits. These include, but are not limited to, schizophrenia, depression, bipolar disorder, anxiety, eating disorders and others. Simply having one of these disorders does not mean people will automatically receive SSDI benefits though.
They also must be able to demonstrate that the disorder presents an extreme limitation in their ability understand, interact with others, concentrate or manage themselves. In the alternative the disorder must result in a marked limitation in two of those four areas.
There are many people in California who have mental disorders. Some of these people will be unable to work as a result and may need SSDI benefits. People in this situation must apply for the benefits though and prove they meet the criteria. This can be a long and complicated process and consulting with experienced attorneys could be beneficial.
