The young adult entering the workforce for the first time rarely thinks too far into their future. They are concerned with learning their job and how they will spend their first paycheck, not about the chance that they will one day be disabled and unable to work. However, any good social security disability lawyer would tell them that there is a thirty percent chance that any twenty year old starting their first job will one day be unable to work due to a severe illness or disability — and that the disability will likely be permanent.

Current and future budget problems aside, the federal government will provide assistance to those individuals, usually under the Social Security Administration, which offers two programs of benefits for disabled workers. These programs provide financial assistance directly to the worker to replace lost income and allow a family to survive financially.

Most workers will find themselves applying for disability benefits directly from the SSA. Others will qualify for Supplemental Security Income, which is funded by the Treasury Department , though administered by SSA. The specific qualification guidelines take into consideration the age, income, and work history of the injured party. Those who have enough work credits and have not yet reached retirement age are usually covered by the general disability benefit program that is familiar to most people. Those over 65 or who don’t have enough work credits will be applying for SSI.