When a doctor, nurse, or hospital makes a mistake the effect can be tragic—as you know all too well if you have been the victim of medical malpractice. You went to the doctor or hospital to improve your health or to help manage your pain and instead a mistake was made that left you with a permanent disability. You are unable to work and your condition is expected to last for at least a year or result in death.
What Now?
If your condition qualifies you for Social Security disability, you may apply for benefits—and collect benefits—even if your condition was caused by the negligence of a doctor or hospital. The Social Security Administration (SSA) is less concerned with what caused your injury or illness than with what your actual injury or illness is and your expected prognosis. Accordingly, if you satisfy the requirements of one of the conditions in the Listing of Impairments or otherwise prove that you are unable to work and you qualify for benefits, you should be able to receive Social Security disability.
At the same time, you may be able to pursue a medical malpractice claim. If you are successful in your medical malpractice claim and reach a settlement, or a court rules you in your favor, it will have no impact on your Social Security disability benefits. Your benefits will not be reduced, eliminated, or otherwise impacted by your medical malpractice recovery.
To learn more about protecting your Social Security disability rights, please watch our free videos today.
by Paul B. Burkhalter Managing Partner of Morgan Weisbrod , Board Certified in Social Security Disability Law.