If a covered worker becomes disabled, who is eligible to receive Social Security benefits based on the worker's record?

The most accurate answer is that the disabled worker, once deemed eligible, can receive Social Security benefits based on their own work record. This applies particularly to those who have attained the necessary work credits and have been found disabled under Social Security Administration guidelines.

While it is true that the spouse of the disabled worker and unmarried dependent children under a certain age can also be eligible for benefits based on the worker's record, the question specifically focuses on eligibility as it relates to the worker themselves. Therefore, the primary individual entitled to benefits due to their own disability status is the disabled worker.

To ensure a comprehensive understanding, it can be noted that spouses and dependent children gain benefits as secondary beneficiaries, which is why the other options, while correct in a different context, do not directly answer the question about who is eligible to receive benefits based on the worker's record specifically.