Read­ing Time: 3 min­utes

Last Updat­ed on May 19, 2023 

Introduction: Understanding the Differences Between Workers Comp and SSDI

When a work­er is injured on the job or becomes dis­abled, they may have the option to receive ben­e­fits through work­ers’ comp or SSDI. Work­ers comp cov­ers med­ical expens­es and wage replace­ment ben­e­fits relat­ed to work-relat­ed injuries, while SSDI pro­vides month­ly ben­e­fits for those with dis­abil­i­ties that pre­vent them from work­ing. Both options have their pros and cons, and it’s impor­tant to con­sid­er all fac­tors when mak­ing a decision.

Workers Comp: Pros and Cons

Pros:

• Cov­ers med­ical expens­es relat­ed to your work injury: Work­ers comp will cov­er the cost of med­ical treat­ment for injuries or ill­ness­es that are work-related.
• Pro­vides wage replace­ment ben­e­fits while you’re unable to work: If your injury pre­vents you from work­ing, work­ers’ comp will pro­vide wage replace­ment ben­e­fits to help you cov­er your liv­ing expenses.
• Can offer reha­bil­i­ta­tion ser­vices to help you return to work: In addi­tion to med­ical treat­ment and wage replace­ment ben­e­fits, work­ers’ comp may offer reha­bil­i­ta­tion ser­vices to help you recov­er and return to work.

Cons:

• Only cov­ers work-relat­ed injuries or ill­ness­es: Work­ers comp will only cov­er injuries or ill­ness­es that are direct­ly relat­ed to your job.
• Ben­e­fits are usu­al­ly capped at a cer­tain amount: Depend­ing on your state’s laws, there may be a lim­it to how much you can receive in work­ers’ comp benefits.
• You may be required to see a com­pa­ny-approved doc­tor: Your employ­er may require you to see a doc­tor of their choos­ing, which could poten­tial­ly impact the qual­i­ty of care you receive.

SSDI: Pros and Cons

Pros:

• Pro­vides month­ly ben­e­fits to those with dis­abil­i­ties that pre­vent them from work­ing: SSDI will pro­vide month­ly ben­e­fits to those who are unable to work due to a disability.
• Ben­e­fits are not capped and may be received for life: Unlike work­ers comp, there is no lim­it to how much you can receive in SSDI ben­e­fits, and you can poten­tial­ly receive ben­e­fits for the rest of your life.
• Can pro­vide health­care cov­er­age through Medicare or Med­ic­aid: In addi­tion to month­ly ben­e­fits, SSDI recip­i­ents may also qual­i­fy for health­care cov­er­age through Medicare or Medicaid.

Cons:

• Can be dif­fi­cult to qual­i­fy for due to strict eli­gi­bil­i­ty require­ments: SSDI has strict eli­gi­bil­i­ty require­ments, and it can be dif­fi­cult to qual­i­fy with­out the help of an expe­ri­enced lawyer.
• Ben­e­fits may be reduced if you earn oth­er income or receive cer­tain oth­er ben­e­fits: If you receive oth­er sources of income or ben­e­fits, your SSDI ben­e­fits may be reduced.
• May take a long time to receive ben­e­fits after fil­ing a claim: Pro­cess­ing times for SSDI claims can be lengthy, and it may take sev­er­al months or even years to receive benefits.

Maximizing Your Benefits: Choosing the Right Option for You

When decid­ing between work­ers’ comp and SSDI, there are sev­er­al fac­tors to consider.

Type of Injury or Disability

If your injury or dis­abil­i­ty is work-relat­ed, work­ers’ comp may be the best option for you. How­ev­er, if your dis­abil­i­ty is not work-relat­ed, SSDI may be your only option.

Length of Time You’ll Be Out of Work

Work­ers comp ben­e­fits are usu­al­ly capped and may only last for a cer­tain amount of time. If you expect to be out of work for a long peri­od of time, SSDI may be a bet­ter option, as ben­e­fits can be received for life.

Overall Financial Situation

If you have oth­er sources of income or assets, you may not need the wage replace­ment ben­e­fits pro­vid­ed by work­ers comp. In this case, SSDI may be a bet­ter option for you.

Conclusion: Making the Right Decision for You

Choos­ing between work­ers’ comp and SSDI can be a dif­fi­cult deci­sion, but it’s impor­tant to con­sid­er all fac­tors to max­i­mize your ben­e­fits. If you need assis­tance nav­i­gat­ing the process, con­tact a local lawyer for a free con­sul­ta­tion at 844–682‑0999.