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Eligible Reasons for Government Disability

The U.S. government will pay benefits to people who have severe disabilities. These benefits help people who are unable to work to survive and to care for their health. The primary form of disability insurance is through the U.S. Social Security Administration. There are strict definitions of what qualifies a person for benefits, and the process of receiving them can take years.

  1. Total Disability

    • Social Security disability benefits are available only to people with "total" disabilities, not persons with short-term or partial disabilities. Total disability is defined as your being unable to do work that you did before and unable to adjust to other work and your disability has lasted or will likely last for at least one year. It is also considered a total disability if your condition is expected to end in your death.

    Severity of Disability: Adults

    • There are certain conditions that the Social Security Administration considers so severe that it automatically qualifies as a disability. A separate list of conditions is kept for adults and children. For adults, these conditions include amputations, spinal disorders, blindness, liver dysfunction, chronic heart failure, epilepsy, brain tumors, autism, schizophrenia, lupus and HIV. For a full list, visit the Social Security Administration website.

    Severity of Disability: Children

    • For people under the age of 18, the government has slightly different standards of disability. There are some disorders that are found only in children while others affect children differently than they do adults. These types of disabilities include growth impairment disorders, asthma, cystic fibrosis, sickle cell disease, juvenile diabetes and Down syndrome.

    Wounded Warriors

    • Military service members who become disabled while in active service are given expedited consideration by the Social Security Administration. The definition for disability is the same as it is for civilians. However, military pay and benefits do not affect disability benefits.

    Workers' Compensation

    • You may also be eligible for government disability if your injury or disability occurred in the workplace. Disability benefits are paid to people in qualifying occupations who are injured on the job. The eligibility rules for this varies throughout the country because states administer workers' compensation insurance.

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