Drug and Alcohol Dependency and Social Security Disability

David Gantt is a North Carolina Board Certified Specialist in Workers Compensation Law. He represents individuals in matters regarding workers’ compensation and Social Security disability benefit matters. Contact David Gantt at 828-252-2852 to schedule a consultation about your unique circumstance.

Transcript of Video

Social Security generally does not approve folks who use drugs and alcohol. If that is the reason you’re disabled, you will likely be turned don. However, if you would be disabled even if you didn’t use drugs and alcohol the law indicates that she should receive disability. So the key is to, first of all, try to get off drugs or alcohol. That’s the most important thing you can do. And then if your disability continues you have a pretty easy case. If you can’t get off [drugs or alcohol], there is a technical way that you could get social security disability but most judges will not approve people that are actively using drugs or have actively have a drinking problem that contributes to your situation. Technically the law says that you can still draw if you would be disabled anyway, but again some judges have a rather narrow view of that rule and a narrow interpretation. So, I wouldn’t count on that. I always recommend people – my clients – to go to drug rehab for alcohol treatment if that’s an issue for you.