Atlanta Social Security Disability Law Blog

When they got married in May of last year, one couple on the opposite side of the country from Georgia had no idea the impact it would have on their lives. They were not prepared for the financial impact that a marriage would have on their wallets and quality of life.

The woman has bipolar disorder, seizures and high blood pressure. Her husband suffers from severe bipolar disorder. Both receive forms of Social Security benefits, and both have experienced serious cuts to their benefits because of their marriage. Even though the couple lives in another state, the lessons apply to Social Security disability beneficiaries in Georgia, because it is a federal program.

Workers in Georgia who are current and former military service members who are no longer able to perform work duties because of a medical condition may be interested to know that they can apply for Social Security Disability benefits. Military service members should know that Social Security Disability is awarded by the Social Security Administration and not the Department of Veterans' Affairs, therefore a separate application is required.

Like civilians, military service members who are no longer able to work can receive Social Security Disability Insurance. Military service members are considered covered by the federal program if they have worked for a requisite number of years and have paid Social Security taxes. Certain family members may also receive benefits based on the military service member's application.

According to a recent study, more and more rural citizens in Georgia and elsewhere in the United States are relying on Social Security Disability Insurance benefits. This also comes at a time when unemployment remains high, and budget-conscious lawmakers are worried about Social Security being tapped out for future generations.

According to the study from the Center for Rural Strategies, 20.8 percent of Social Security recipients in rural areas receive disability assistance, compared to the national rate of 18.5 percent. More than 400,000 new people receive disability benefits every year since the start of the recession. And the Appalachian region has one of the highest disability rates in the country.

A disability can change a person's life without warning. Whether caused by an accident or the sudden onset of a disease or illness, having a disability impacts a person's health, finances and livelihood.

One 48-year-old man went to work one day in July, but that day did not end like every other day. While going up and down the stairs during the course of the day, he noticed new pain in one of his knees. By the end of the day, the pain was so extreme that he left work to go to the hospital. He was diagnosed with gout, a type of arthritis, in his knee. The pain is so sharp that it has prevented him from returning to his job of 23 years.