The Social Security Administration (SSA) oversees two programs that provide assistance if you have a disability that makes you unable to work and earn a living. Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) may help you if you paid taxes into the system while you worked and if you meet certain requirements. Supplemental Security Income (SSI) may assist you in meeting your basic living expenses. The programs comprise the nation’s largest long-term disability services, and they may provide the assistance that you need.
Understanding SSDI
SSDI is part of the Social Security program that provides retirement benefits to America’s senior citizens. Under certain conditions, it pays a monthly benefit to you as a former worker in a job that is covered by Social Security. An impairment or illness that makes you unable to work for at least a year may qualify you for benefits. Illness that may result in your death within a year can qualify you to receive payments as well.
Your earnings before you became ill or disabled form the basis for calculating your benefits. The SSA may pay benefits to you or to your dependent family members. The program provided essential financial support to nearly 9 million disabled workers in July of 2015. Qualifying to receive benefits requires you to meet stringent standards set by the SSA, including your inability to “engage in any substantial gainful activity” due to your medical condition.
Seeking Social Security Disability in Ambridge
As a resident of Ambridge, PA with a disability, you probably have serious concerns about how you can support your family when you cannot work. Your medical bills and your desire to feed, clothe and house your family create demands on your mental outlook. Worrying about your financial situation can take your focus off of getting well, the opposite of conditions that you need.
SSDI may offer the solution to the vexing problems that face you. The illness or disability that prevents you from performing sustained or substantial work may also qualify you to receive benefits from disability insurance through the SSA. A disability that lasts at least one year may give you the opportunity to acquire the funds you need to take care of yourself and your family during a difficult time.
Getting Help from an Attorney
Applying for SSDI benefits successfully presents more challenges than you may imagine. Your need for immediate assistance does not influence the processing of your request. In fact, it may take longer if you make a mistake on the application in haste. An attorney knows the law and how to avoid pitfalls, and you can get a free consultation to assess your case. You can benefit from having knowledgeable legal guidance when you submit a successful application or when you appeal a denial.
Assistance in the Application Process
Incomplete forms contribute to the rejection of nearly 70 percent of the applications that the SSA receives each year. As your disability attorney, I will make sure that your application contains the information that reviewers need. Relevant medical records that detail your disability are essential for evaluation of your case.
While the online application process does not seem difficult, pitfalls can create a snag. Failing to show proof of disability or to include a Residual Functional Capacity form can derail your request. My extensive experience in SSDI helps you avoid disappointment and delay.
Guidance in Appealing a Denial
Getting approval of your benefits claim can take months, but minor errors on your application can result in a denial that usually takes even longer. SSA received 2,412,267 applications in 2015, and you can probably understand that inquiring about errors takes time that the reviewers cannot afford. The appeals process usually starts with a Request for Reconsideration that may also receive a denial. Subsequent steps involve requests for hearings that may receive approval or a decision that upholds the denial.
As an alternative to the lengthy appeals process, consider meeting with me for a free consultation on the merits of your case. By submitting a completed application that includes your medical information and statements from your doctor, we can work together to get you the benefits that you deserve. If you have received a denial of your application, let me assist you in meeting the challenges that you face in reaching a satisfactory resolution.
Our Services
Help Applying for SSDI
Help Appealing a SSDI Denial