If you become disabled in Nevada, you can apply for Social Security disability benefits through two federal programs: Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) and Supplemental Security Income (SSI). Nevada does not have a state disability program. While many of the processes for SSDI and SSI are standardized throughout the county, there are differences among the states, including the amount of the SSI payment, how decisions are made, the costs of getting medical records to support your disability claim, disability approval statistics, vocational rehabilitation services, and of course, contact information for disability-related offices.

Disability Decision-Making Process in Nevada

In every state, medical determinations are made by a disability examiner (DE). In Nevada, these disability examiners work for the Bureau of Disability Adjudication (BDA), which is a state agency under the Nevada Department of Employment, Training & Rehabilitation (DETR).

Note that most states call their disability determination agency "Disability Determination Services (DDS)," so that's the term we use on this site to refer to this agency.

Disability Benefits Statistics in Nevada

In Nevada, the approval rates for disability benefits is slightly less than national rates, both at the initial application stage and after an administrative law judge (ALJ) hearings. The average hearing wait times are nearly equal in Nevada to the national average. Below is a chart that compares Nevada to the national average for disability benefit approvals.

Nevada SSI Supplement

While the federal government pays the monthly benefits for recipients of SSI (which may be reduced based on additional income), the State of Nevada chooses to pay Nevada residents who are blind an additional monthly benefit. The amount depends on their living situation. The Social Security Administration administers this payment for Nevada. Below is the chart that outlines how much blind individuals and couples in Nevada may be eligible to receive monthly.

Couples where one spouse is blind and the other is disabled receive a bit less.

Free Copy of Medical Records in Nevada

In Nevada, health care professionals are normally allowed to charge up to $0.60 per page for a photocopy of your medical records. Fortunately, those who are obtaining medical records to support a Social Security disability claim are entitled to one free copy of their medical records. To receive the free set of medical records, you should supply your Social Security application or appeals paperwork with your request for your medical records.Contact Information for BDA

Contact Information for BDA and OHO

Here is contact information for the Bureau of Disability Adjudication (BDA), the office in Nevada that makes the decision regarding your disability benefits, and the Office of Hearings Operations (OHO), the office that handles all appeals in Nevada.

Vocational Rehabilitation Services in Nevada

In Nevada, the Bureau of Vocational Rehabilitation under the Nevada DETR can help disabled individuals who want to return to work. Vocational Rehabilitation provides vocational services and individual counselors, who assess individuals' needs and create job plans for them. Below are the local offices for Vocational Rehabilitation.

Finding a Disability Lawyer in Nevada

Because, on average, Nevada ALJs are less likely to approve disability benefits than ALJS in other areas of the country, you may want to consider hiring a disability attorney to represent you at your hearing. (Here's how a disability lawyer helps.) To locate an attorney, visit our Nevada disability lawyers page.