Does Social Security pay temporary or partial disability benefits?
A. No. Social Security will only pay benefits for disabling medical conditions which last for a year or more. When benefits are awarded, however, the person is considered permanently disabled unless or until medical improvement occurs which would allow the person to return to the workforce. Social Security also does not pay for a partial disability, as does for example the Veterans Administration. A person must prove that he is totally disabled from engaging in any substantial work in order to prevail in a Social Security disability claim.
