How to Apply for Disability In BC
Long term disabilities can happen at any time in a person’s life. You may have been born with a disability that makes it hard to work or to perform daily tasks. You may also later become disabled due to a medical condition or accident. If you are struggling to make ends meet or obtain required care, you can apply for disability benefits.
What is Disability Assistance?
Disability assistance is an employment and assistance program offered to British Columbia residents. This program provides a range of assistance benefits as well as supplements for people who are designated as “Persons with Disabilities” (PWD) through the ministry. You can receive financial support based on the size of your family, community living payments, health supplements, and other general supplements.
Eligibility for Disability Benefits
You will have to meet several eligibility requirements before you apply for disability benefits. You will have to show that you have a mental or physical disability that will last for more than two years, and be 18 years of age or older. Also, you will need to show that you meet the financial eligibility requirements to receive disability assistance, that you are somehow restricted from performing daily activities, and that you need someone to provide you with assistance to perform daily living activities.
Assets and Trusts
The disability assistance program requires you to meet certain criteria based on income and assets. General assets will be exempt from the disability assistance program, such as personal property, cash and trusts. There is also a general asset exemption limit amounts based on couples, individuals and family members where there are one or more people with a PWD designation.
How to Apply for Disability Benefits
After meeting the financial eligibility, you will fill out a Persons and Disabilities Designation Application. There are three sections to the application. You only have to fill out the first section that is the applicant portion. A doctor will fill out the medical report section and a prescribed professional will complete the assessor report section.
You can receive an application from a BC Employment and Assistance Program worker. If you already receive benefits from a different program, you can fill out a simplified application. The simplified application process applies to people who already receive Community Living CLBC benefits, Canada Pension Plan – Disability benefits, The Ministry of Children and Family Development at Home Program, or the BC PharmaCare Plan B – Palliative Care benefits.
Getting Help with Disability Assistance
Getting disability assistance benefits can be a long and frustrating process. You will need to fill out the application correctly or you will be denied the benefits. Getting a disability lawyer British Columbia can help you navigate the process, meet any deadlines, and recover the compensation that you need in case your application is denied.
There can be many reasons why the claim is denied. Due to the disability and frustrations when dealing with the insurance company, many people simply give up without filing an appeal. A disability lawyer can work with you to decide on the best course of action to take to receive compensation and the care that you require. In addition, a lawyer can also help if you have been approved for compensation yet for some reason never receive it.
Reach out to our law office at Diamond & Diamond. We are your disability lawyer British Columbia who have over 30 years of experience with disability assistance claims. Getting the benefits and supplements you need to gain care is essential and should not be denied to you. Arrange for a consultation today.