SECTION VIII. DISABILITY RETIREMENT DATE

1. A Participant who has either accrued ten years of Credited Service or attained age 55 and accrued five years of Credited Service, and who, prior to his or her normal retirement date, becomes totally and permanently disabled from engaging in any occupation or employment for remuneration or profit, shall be eligible to retire on an early disability retirement date, provided the Participant has submitted evidence satisfactory to the Trustees of such disability. Such evidence may consist either of a Social Security Disability award or of other evidence satisfactory to the Trustees that the Participant is in fact totally and permanently disabled. A denial or termination of Social Security Disability benefits shall not be conclusive upon the issue of disability.
2. The Trustees may, at their discretion and at the expense of the Fund, have the Participant examined by a qualified physician of their own choosing and may rely upon those physicians' opinions as qualifying or disqualifying the Participant for disability retirement or continued disability retirement.
3. Such a Participant shall retire as of the first day of the month following the month of his application, with benefits payable retroactively to the date of disability. The Participant may be required to submit proof from time to time of his or her continued eligibility to receive benefits payable under this Section.
4. No Participant shall be deemed to be totally and permanently disabled for the purposes of this Plan if his or her disability consists of chronic alcoholism or addiction to drugs, or is the result of self-inflicted injury.