Social Security Disability
We know you have worked hard and now there may be a reason you cannot work.
You may qualify for disability benefits if you are currently not able to work a full-time job for any health related reason. However, obtaining Social Security disability benefits can be a long and confusing process without an attorney to guide you.
If a person who has paid into the Social Security system suffers from a disability that has resulted or will result in them being unemployed for more than twelve months, then they may be entitled to Social Security disability benefits.
If you believe you qualify for disability, you should immediately contact our office so we can help you with your initial application. After we submit your application, it is then reviewed and will be approved or denied. This is why it is important to obtain an attorney as soon as possible. We are some of very few attorneys who offer our services at the initial application stage for SSDI.
If you have already applied and been denied it is not too late to obtain an attorney. After being denied, you will be given 60 days to appeal and ask for reconsideration. Our firm will then file your appeal and gather important information to support your claim.
The federal government clearly outlines specific criteria that must be met before someone can be declared disabled and eligible for benefits. For example, you must be totally disabled, meaning that you have a condition, or combination of conditions, preventing you from performing gainful employment. Our attorneys are familiar with these criteria and can advise you with their years of experience.
If you have not worked enough to qualify for SSDI benefits, you could possibly be entitled to disability benefits through the Supplemental Security Income (SSI) program. This is only if you have hardly any income or very few assets, if any. If you have already filed a claim you can check the status online by creating an account.
Three Reasons Hiring SSD Lawyers Can Help
Most people associate Social Security with retirement benefits as you get older. The Social Security Law also provides benefits for younger individuals who are disabled through the Social Security Disability and Supplemental Security Income programs. You are not required to hire an attorney for Social Security disability or SSI benefits, but there are three reasons why an attorney might be beneficial to you.
Attorneys understand the eligibility requirements for SSDI and SSI
You might be eligible to receive Social Security Disability benefits if you suffer from a medical condition that prevents you from working full-time. Proving that you suffer from a disability can be a challenge. Most first-time applications for benefits are denied by the Social Security Administration.
Unless you have been or are expected to be disabled for at least 12 consecutive months, your application for benefits will be denied. SSD lawyers understand how to work within the criteria used by Social Security to evaluate your disability. According to the government, you must fulfill all of the following to meet the disability criteria:
. Be unable to perform the type work you previously performed
. Be unable to perform other types of work
. Be disabled for at least 12 consecutive months or be expected to die from the disabling condition
Lawyers know that proving your disability can involve more than just a report from your physician, so they work to gather additional information that will support your need for disability. Some examples of this information might include medical test results, work history records, physician statements, and statements about your disability from friends and family members.
A lawyer knows how to present your case
When you are represented by a lawyer, Social Security realizes that someone who understands the law will use it to your advantage. For example, you might be eligible for retroactive benefits for up to 12 months prior to your application date, but it depends upon the alleged onset date of your disability.
Attorneys understand the complexities involved in determining onset dates. They also know how to fight on your behalf when the government counters the alleged onset date with its own date that is referred to as the established onset date. The established date must be supported by medical evidence, so your lawyer may be able to fight them on this point.
Appeals of denials for disability benefits can be difficult
Social Security Disability denials go through multiple levels of appeals. When dealing with an attorney Social Security is confronting someone with knowledge of the law and the skills to draft briefs and present evidence in support of your claim. Individuals attempting to handle their own appeals are at a disadvantage because they are attempting something new and unfamiliar to them.
SSD lawyers have experience conducting cross examination of medical or vocation experts presented by the government at hearings. They also know what documents or testimony can be the most beneficial to your case. The legal arguments they use at the higher appeals are supported by what they accomplished on your behalf at the hearing stages of your claim.