Countless workers in various industries face risks of suffering work-related injuries or disabilities. Specific occupations deal with heat and equipment that involve fire, posing the risks of mild to severe burns. Specific burn injuries could cause impairments, but not all qualify for Social Security Disability (SSD) benefits.
A burn victim could be eligible for SSD based on the severity of their injury. Mild cases tend to heal completely with proper medical care and medications. However, third or fourth-degree burns could lead to long-term nerve damage.
Along with damaging the skin, severe burns could also injure nerve tissues, causing impairments related to nerve function. These problems could be complicated and require one or more surgical procedures to help improve symptoms. Victims might also need physical therapy and other treatments, resulting in extensive bills.
Social Security could cover these situations. However, it must conduct stringent evaluations for each case before granting SSD benefits. Social Security typically looks at how the burns affected other body functions, including their senses, speech, respiratory, neurological and cardiovascular systems.
Additionally, Social Security looks at the victim’s treatment regimen. Each case could have unique needs, such as regular surgical interventions, which could cause further impairments as the victim recovers. Burn injuries have a wide range of severity and treatments, so Social Security relies heavily on medical records to determine eligibility.
Documentation is essential for burn injuries
Proper documentation could help establish a burn victim’s eligibility for SSD benefits. These files could include laboratory test results, medical reports, clinical findings, diagnosis and other medical sources relevant to the injury. Victims should take the initiative and prepare these documents as they receive medical care.
Burns happen too often, and most cases might not qualify for SSD. However, preparing the proper paperwork could help clarify the victim’s situation during the evaluation process.