What kinds of injuries are covered by Social Security?

Question

I am injured (by sports injury) but was called schizophrenic. I am a bartender, otherwise I will not take fraud as income. For this I looked into the 2018 National Beneficiary Survey (next one estimated release 2023) that says of 4062 reporters 35.4% are mentally ill, 5.2% with developmental disability, and 14.9% are injured (or poisoned) in 2015. For a picture of the Musculoskeletally-disordered of 42.1%, we can use the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities reports to get an age-related image. So, other than age, what injuries constitute a proper claim? Is it only when something (1) falls on you (2) on the job?

Answer 1

The Social Security Administration only provides benefits for what has been termed as total disability, which can be broadly described as the long-term, indefinite ability to work. Short-term injuries, which impair your ability to work for a finite period, or impair your ability to perform your current job but would still allow you to work generally, are covered by benefits such as short-term disability insurance and/or unemployment.

From the SSA web site:

We consider you to have a qualifying disability under Social Security rules if all the following are true:

• You cannot do work and engage in substantial gainful activity (SGA) because of your medical condition.
• You cannot do work you did previously or adjust to other work because of your medical condition.
• Your condition has lasted or is expected to last for at least one year or to result in death.

This is a strict definition of disability. Social Security program rules assume that working families have access to other resources to provide support during periods of short-term disabilities, including workers' compensation, insurance, savings, and investments.