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Clerical Error Delays Disability Payments for Struggling Family

A mix-up at the SSA recently led to a long delay of Social Security disability payments to an 8-year-old boy. In a frustrating and strange turn of events, the boy was listed as deceased in the Social Security Administration's computers, when it was actually his mother who had died.

According to SoMdNews.com, the boy's father has been receiving disability payments for years due to being legally blind. Dependent children of parents on disability typically get a monthly amount equal to half of their parents' payment. However, the boy's mom had died in August, so he moved in fulltime with his father and stepmother. Thus, they should have started receiving his payments to help care for him, but none appeared. The total amount was over $3500, which would have greatly helped make up for the extra person in the household.

Months went by without a payment, and the couple began struggling financially as their expenses had just increased and they were living on a fixed income. To correct the issue, the boy and his father had to go into an SSA office with numerous forms of identification. The young boy also had to sign on a form that he was indeed alive and living with his father fulltime. Considering that he had just lost his mother, and then had to miss school to travel to the office just to write that he was alive, the boy was understandably frustrated.

Though it was a clerical error on the part of the SSA, the missing payments were unable to get straightened out by phone. The process took months and required some travel and inconvenience on the part of the SSDI recipients. Additionally, they had all just had a difficult time due to the loss of the boy's mother. However, the family is just glad that the issue is finally resolved, especially before the holidays.

If you or your loved one are suffering from a severe physical or mental disability, you should contact a Social Security Disability lawyer immediately to learn about your rights and determine eligibility. The process of securing Social Security Disability Insurance benefits and/or Supplemental Security Income (SSI) can be difficult and overwhelming. Don't go it alone! The disability lawyers at LaVan & Neidenberg, located in Ft. Lauderdale, FL understand the inner workings of the Social Security Administration and will help you navigate the system. Call us today for a FREE legal consultation - 1-888-234-5758.