Skip to Content

Learn About Your Rights

Mike Murburg, P.A. is a premier disability benefits law firm that handles railroad disability cases throughout the country. Our team helps our clients recover benefits through the Railroad Board, Social Security Administration, Veterans Administration and other government programs. Because we exclusively handle disability cases, we devote our close to 30 years of experience and our substantial resources to assisting individuals with disabilities obtain their rightful benefits.

A RRB disability lawyer will assess your eligibility for total and occupational disability annuities and Social Security disability benefits. We gather crucial evidence to prove your disability and guide you through the application process.

SSA and RRB Procedures

Railroad total disability annuities and Social Security disability benefits are processed and paid through different government agencies and have their own statutory requirements. However, many of the procedures, definitions and calculations are similar to each other.

  • Definition of disability — The Railroad Board and the Social Security Administration use the same definition of total disability. Your condition must have lasted or be expected to last for 12 months or to result in death. The condition must prevent you from working in gainful employment.
  • Evidence of disability — Both RRB and SSA require medical evidence to prove your disability. Acceptable proof includes doctors’ reports, diagnostic test results, laboratory findings and a statement asserting that your condition keeps you from performing job-related tasks.
  • Benefits calculations — Both government agencies determine your eligibility based upon length of your employment calculated as work credits.
  • Substantial gainful employment — You become ineligible for benefits payments if you continuously earn substantial income. For 2014, the SSA and the RRD considered $1,070 per month as substantial gainful employment (SGA).
  • Waiting periods — You are subject to a frustrating waiting period when applying for either railroad disability annuities or Social Security disability benefits.

SSA Program & RRB Occupational Disability Annuity

The Social Security Administration does not have a program that compares to the occupational disability annuity payments offered by the RRB. An occupational disability is defined as a medical condition that prevents you from working in your regular job within the railroad industry. Conversely, the SSA can deny benefits if you are able to adapt to another type of employment, considering your skills, experience, education, age and severity of your disability.

Contact Our Disability Law Firm for More Information

Mike Murburg, P.A. helps you recover the disability benefits you are entitled to, including Social Security disability and Railroad Board annuity payments. Your case evaluation is free. There is no risk in determining which benefits you qualify to receive.

In addition, our RRB disability lawyers do not bill you for fees and expenses unless we are successful. Do not wait to call a Railroad Board disability lawyer. Contact us by calling (813) 264-5363 or reach us online to schedule an appointment.