When a person becomes disabled, many tasks that were previously simple may become challenging. Disabled workers in Pennsylvania may rely on various resources on a daily basis to get by. For instance, Social Security disability benefits can significantly help people with disabilities. Many of these people may have other invaluable resources. For one family, their adapted van is an invaluable resource.
This family includes a mother and her two children. The mother suffers from painful arthritis in her hips as well as a heart problem. She lives with her double-amputee son and her daughter who has a degenerative back disease. The mother and her two children use wheelchairs, and they rely on their adapted van to go anywhere. Without it, they are essentially stuck in their home.
Last week the mother received a phone call from a neighbor who noticed their van was missing. The mother then reported theft to the police. The mother said of the van: "that's my world on four wheels... with my phone, that's all I've got." Now, these three family members are unable to go to the store to buy groceries, see other people, or go to doctor appointments.
The report does not indicate whether this family receives SSDI benefits, but if they do, they will likely depend on these benefits even more, now that their van is gone. Anyone facing a new disability or a lifelong disability may benefit from looking into applying for benefits. As the application process can be complicated, seeking legal guidance throughout the application process will likely eliminate some stress.
Source: KOCO.com, "Disabled family's van stolen," Oct. 18, 2012
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