woman with ssd benefits

Those Receiving SSD Benefits May Be Subject to Surveillance

When you’re unable to work due to a disability, the idea of having enough money to pay your bills is often daunting. That’s where Social Security Disability (SSD) benefits come into play. SSD benefits can definitely help to pay for all of your basic expenses, but what many people don’t realize is that simply applying and receiving these benefits is not enough. This is because a determination of your eligibility is ongoing. 

While the Social Security Administration (SSA) doesn’t regularly hire investigators to follow you just about anywhere (as private insurance companies often do), this is not to say that it can’t or that it won’t. In fact, it certainly can, and it sometimes does.

Once you have filed for SSD benefits, the SSA will look for proof of the disability that you’ve claimed. If the SSA should learn of a reason to investigate you, it may choose to take a closer look at you and your life.  

Are You Still Entitled to SSD Benefits?

One thing that the SSA does regularly conduct is a Continuing Disability Review (CDR), which looks at whether or not you are still entitled to the SSD benefits that you are currently receiving. 

By conducting CDRs, the SSA can determine which recipients have medically improved and/or are no longer disabled for purposes of SSD benefit eligibility. It’s important to understand the serious nature of these CDRs. Should the SSA discover that you have committed a crime, it will give your case to the Department of Justice, which may then conduct a criminal investigation against you and even prosecute you should it deem that necessary.

Keeping an Eye on You

Although the SSA doesn’t tend to use traditional surveillance as discussed, it does use other methods of surveillance to complete its investigation, with methods such as video surveillance. However, there is often one method of surveillance that people often forget about: Social media monitoring. This is one of the easiest ways in which the SSA can catch you in a lie about the status of your disability.  This is now being done more than ever and it is so important because anything that you – or others – put on social media can be taken out of context. For example, what may have been an innocent picture of you at a rock climbing gym, where you just watched your friends, can be used against you as evidence that you were partaking in activities you claim not to be able to do. 

SSD benefits can be a true lifesaver when it comes to having a disability that prevents you from working as you have before. However, it’s not always so easy to know how to apply correctly for the best chance of getting approved. This is why it’s a good idea to speak with a knowledgeable and experienced disability law attorney. 

The Las Vegas SSD Attorneys at Roeschke Law, LLC Can Help

If you or a loved one is struggling with a disability that prevents the ability to work, you may not know how to proceed. Fortunately, the attorneys at Roeschke Law, LLC can help. We understand the impact that a disability can have on your physical, emotional, and financial health. That’s why it’s our mission to help you. To learn more, or to schedule a consultation, contact us today!