Special Legal Benefits for Those with Disabilities
The United States is known for offering assistance to those who need it, and they don’t forget their own. When someone has a disability, whether permanent or temporary, there are special legal benefits they can utilize to help them with everyday expenses, tasks, and temporary costs. What are those benefits?
Help with Medical Bills
Many individuals with disabilities will visit their doctors more often than others. Because of this, medical expenses can run quite high for the disabled. Fortunately, the government has several options for assistance with insurance and medical bills. For example, Medicaid and CHIP offer a type of insurance for children in families who don’t have health insurance. Medicare is another type of government insurance for people over 65 years of age, as well as those under 65 if they are disabled.
Help with Housing
It can be difficult to find the right housing options when you have a disability. The home needs to be accessible, but it also needs to be affordable. Many local, state, and federal programs can help you afford a home, modify it for your needs, and learn the skills required to live as independently as possible. Housing Choice voucher programs are an option, as are rental assistance and Non-Elderly Disabled vouchers. You might have a local independent living center where you can learn skills, and your state likely has a program that helps individuals find a rental.
Help with Support and Service Animals
For many with disabilities, their support or service animals are the difference between living safely and independently and living in danger and fear. In most states, dogs are the typical support animal, though other states are more lenient on the type of animal allowed and considered as a support animal. You will need to apply for a service animal before you can utilize its services in public, and it’s important that you know what your rights are concerning your animal. The ADA can help you find the resources you need to figure it all out.
Contacting a Lawyer
Living with a disability could be something you’re used to, or it could be something new you’re dealing with. In either case, you do have certain rights and benefits because of your situation. If you’re not sure what those benefits are, or if you’ve had an issue with being able to exercise your rights, it might help to contact a social security lawyer such as Hurwitz, Whitcher & Molloy, Attorneys at Law today.