A Few Things Everyone Should Know About Disability

Home
>
Insurance
>
A Few Things Everyone Should Know About Disability

A Few Things Everyone Should Know About Disability

Did you know? One year of disability can wipe out 10 year's worth of savings.

Other interesting things to know about disability:

- 7 out of 10 people between the ages of 35 and 65 become disabled for three months or longer.

- The average length of disability lasting longer than 90-days is 36 Months.

- Most American families have only enough money in savings to cover two months worth of bills.

- In 2000, wage and productivity losses from unintential injuries was $259.8 billion (Statistical Abstract of the US: 2002)

- The maximum Social Security disability payment for 30-yr old earning $70,000 per year is just $1600 per month.

- To be eligible for Social Security disability, your disability must last at least 12 months.

- Social Security Disability will only pay an approved claim after a minimum of 5 months have passed.

So if you suddenly become disabled... how would you pay your bills?

What is disability?

The Random House Webster's Dictionary of American English defines disability as: "Lack of adequate strength or ability; incapacity; a physical or mental handicap; anything that disables or puts one at a disadvantage"

The Social Security Administration defines disability this way: "The inability to engage in any substantial gainful activity by reason of any medically determinable physical or mental impairment which can be expected to result in death or has lasted or can be expected to last for a continuous period of not less than 12 months." Emphasis Added

Simply put: Disability generally means that you are unable to work. And Social Security Disability means you are unable to work at anything.

Disability can happen at any time, to anyone - regardless of race, religion, gender or profession.

Sometimes people become disabled dur to injuries received in a car accident. And sometimes it's a simple matter of getting hurt while participating in sports, or improving your home in your off hours.

A very common injury that can cause you to become unable to work, is a back injury. And back injuries can happen simply by moving furniture, working in a garden, or fixing a leak in your roof.

Other people become unable to work due to an illness or the onset of a disease: Like diabetes, stroke, or heart attack. And even pregnancy can cause some females to become unable to work: If the pregnancy develops other complications that require the woman to stay in bed, she is unable to work.

This Can Happen to You Too.

Unfortunately, people often assume that just because they're healthy, they can't become disabled. And that's simply not true. Accidents happen. So being healthy doesn't usually have anything to do with whether you become disabled.

Let's look at some undeniable facts:

- In 2000, wage and productivity losses from unintentional injuries was $259.8 billion (Statistical Abstract of the US: 2002)

- In 1999: 338,000 people were injured in a fall

- In 1999: 141,000 people were injured due to overexertion

- In 1999: 338,000 people experienced sprains and strains

And just a few of the ways these injuries happened included:

- Hand and power saws

- Hammers

- Kitchen flatware

- Beds

- Tables

- Ladders

- Rugs and Carpets

- Footwear

- Bicycles

- Swimming Pools

If you'd like to know more about disability and various ways you can protect yourself and your family, read the rest of this report online.

© 2004, Kathy Burns-Millyard. This article is provided courtesy of Electronic Perceptions Marketing - You may freely reprint this article on your website or in your newsletter provided this courtesy notice and the author name and URL remain intact.

In The News:

Yahoo! News: Top Stories

Ill. House impeaches gov, who vows to fight on (AP)

AP - Gov. Rod Blagojevich was impeached Friday by Illinois lawmakers furious that he turned state government into a "freak show," setting the stage for an unprecedented trial in the state Senate that could get him thrown out of office.

Israel and Hamas ignore UN call for cease-fire (AP)

AP - Israeli jets and ground troops hammered at Hamas targets in the Gaza Strip and Islamic militants fired barrages of rockets at southern Israeli cities Friday, ignoring a U.N. resolution calling for an immediate cease-fire after two weeks of combat.

Job losses hit 2.6 million as layoff pain deepens (AP)

AP - A staggering 2.6 million jobs disappeared in 2008, the most since World War II, and the pain is only getting worse with 11 million Americans out of work and searching. Unemployment hit a 16-year high of 7.2 percent in December and could be headed for 10 percent or even higher by year's end.

Obama says his economic plan will be refined (AP)

AP - President-elect Barack Obama said Friday that he and Congress will "hone and refine" his nearly $800 billion economic recovery plan, as he seeks to patch fissures with senior Democrats over key features of the still-emerging plan.

Palin: Is Kennedy getting 'kid glove' treatment? (AP)

AP - She messed up her first interviews, didn't show much of a grasp of the issues and, dontcha know, had a speech pattern that was widely mimicked.

Texas death row inmate pulls out eye, eats it (AP)

AP - A Texas death row inmate with a history of mental problems pulled out his only good eye and told authorities he ate it. Andre Thomas, 25, was arrested for the fatal stabbings of his estranged wife, their young son and her 13-month-old daughter in March 2004. Their hearts also had been ripped out. He was convicted and condemned for the infant's death.

Rare 'dinky' bird migrates to US for first time (AP)

AP - Birders with binoculars and cameras are flocking to a remote state park in search of a small yellow-chested bird that apparently crossed the U.S. border for the first time from its high-mountain habitat to the south.

Patrick Swayze checks into hospital with pneumonia (AP)

AP - Patrick Swayze has checked himself into the hospital for observation after contracting pneumonia, A&E President Abbe Raven announced Friday at a meeting of the Television Critics Association.

Masked man waits in line to rob Ohio bank (AP)

AP - A man may have tipped his intentions when he stood in line at an Ohio bank wearing a ski mask before staging a holdup. Police in Stow near Akron said 24-year-old Feliks Goldshtein of Highland Heights was arrested minutes later on Thursday following a brief car chase.

Stimulant exemptions in baseball on the rise (AP)

AP - Baseball authorized nearly 8 percent of its players to use drugs for ADHD last season, which allowed them to take otherwise banned stimulants.

Illinois House votes to impeach Gov. Blagojevich (Reuters)

Reuters - The Illinois House of Representatives impeached Gov. Rod Blagojevich on Friday for abuse of power, including a charge that he tried to sell President-elect Barack Obama's former U.S. Senate seat.

Israel rebuffs U.N. resolution, pursues Gaza war (Reuters)

Reuters - Israel rejected a U.N. resolution calling for a ceasefire in the Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip on Friday and warplanes and tanks pounded the Palestinian enclave.

Robert Rubin quits Citigroup amid criticism (Reuters)

Reuters - Robert Rubin, a former Treasury Secretary, resigned from Citigroup Inc on Friday following months of criticism of his performance at the giant U.S. bank, whose sinking share price led to a government rescue.

Obama team, Rep. Frank eye bailout fund overhaul (Reuters)

Reuters - President-elect Barack Obama and a key Democratic lawmaker revealed plans on Friday to overhaul the government's $700 billion financial rescue fund as a way to aid struggling homeowners and speed the flow of credit.

Jobless rate at 16-year high as payrolls plunge (Reuters)

Reuters - The unemployment rate surged to the highest in nearly 16 years last month as a deepening year-long recession forced companies to axe more than half a million jobs, government data showed on Friday.

Supreme court to decide voting rights law challenge (Reuters)

Reuters - The U.S. Supreme Court said on Friday it would consider a challenge to a central provision of the 44-year-old voting rights law aimed at preventing states and local governments from making it harder for minorities to vote.

Bank industry slams lawmaker-Citi mortgage deal (Reuters)

Reuters - A top bank industry group said on Friday that it opposes an agreement between Citigroup Inc and Democratic senators that would rewrite U.S. bankruptcy law to help troubled mortgage borrowers avoid foreclosure, saying it could make home loans more expensive.

EU seeks to finalize Russian gas monitoring deal (Reuters)

Reuters - The European Union sought to finalize details on Friday of a gas monitoring deal to allow the resumption of gas supplies to Europe via Ukraine, which have been cut off for days over a pricing row.

Defiant Israel presses Gaza offensive as toll passes 800 (AFP)

AFP - Tanks and warplanes pounded Gaza on Friday after Israel defied a truce order from the UN Security Council as the death toll from the two-week-old conflict against Hamas passed 800.

Somali pirates say they have released Saudi supertanker (AFP)

AFP - Somali pirates said Friday they had freed a Saudi-owned supertanker, whose capture nearly two months ago caused panic in international shipping and spurred the world into tougher anti-piracy action.

A Few Things Everyone Should Know About Disability

Insurance Insurance