Going through an injury or illness that leads to a disability can put your entire life on hold, and having to deal with the claims, phone calls, and appointments on your own without support can be daunting. An El Monte Social Security disability lawyer can support you through the process, whether you are just applying, have been denied, or have to go to court to collect the benefits you are entitled to. There are many - often challenging - steps of the disability claim process, and an El Monte Social Security disability lawyer can help with your entire claim.
Assisting with Your Social Security Disability Claim
When a person has a mental or physical disability, they can experience a great deal of hardship in their personal and professional lives. Having to process your claim on your own during this difficult time can lead to incomplete Social Security benefits, which can cause financial pressure if you lost your ability to work and earn a living. Always have professional assistance with your claim to ensure you receive the full benefits and back benefits you deserve under the law.
SS Disability Claims
Have you become disabled and need to file for Social Security disability? Are you under the age of 65 and unable to work due to your disability? Have you applied for Social Security benefits already and been denied?
If you have disability rights under Social Security laws, your El Monte Social Security disability lawyer is here to advocate for the best possible outcome in your case. When you begin the claim process, it is important that your forms are filled out completely, accurately, and have sufficient supporting evidence. When your claim is incomplete, inaccurate, or lacking in the evidence the insurance company needs to see to approve your claim, it may be initially denied. A denial can delay your payments and benefits and put a hold on your ability to get on with your life with your disability.
The Key Info About SSDI and SSI
Through the federal Social Security Disability Act, a “disability” is defined as the “inability to engage in substantial gainful activity by reason of any medically determinable physical or mental impairment, which can be expected to last for a continuous period of not less than 12 months or result in death.” When you have a disability, you can be entitled to receive benefits to cover the cost of your medical care, as well as to replace earnings that you otherwise would have been able to make were it not for your disability.
Supplemental Security Income Benefits (SSI)
Social Security Income benefits, often called SSI, are paid to persons who are in financial need and disabled. While you might know that traditional Social Security benefits depend on the amount a person has paid into Social Security over their working life, it does not matter whether the person has worked in the past or not to collect SSI.
SSI benefits are also available to disabled children. For persons under the age of eighteen, SSI child disability benefits are available and are paid to the parents or guardians of the disabled person when they have financial need. It can be difficult to determine exactly what the requirements are to receive SSI benefits, as the level of financial need is determined through a somewhat complex calculation that considers your earnings, household members, expenses, and other factors. While you might think you should be entitled to benefits, without an accurate and comprehensive application to back your claim up, you may be denied.
You are entitled by law to file your own Social Security Disability benefits. However, statistics clearly demonstrate that those claimants for Social Security Disability who work with the representation of an attorney during the process ultimately receive greater benefits than if they were to represent themselves. Your Social Security disability attorney has your best interests in mind throughout the process, while the SSA claim adjusters are not on your side.
Whether you are collecting your disability benefits from a private insurer, or going for SSI or SSDI from the government, the process is difficult. For SSDI and SSI, the government does not make the process easy. You’ll find yourself discouraged by the snaking lines stretching off into the horizon ahead of you when you arrive at the SSA office to begin the process.
You may be denied initially even though you have a legitimate claim and may experience more than one denial in the process, delaying your benefits and forcing you to cover all of your expenses without income while you wait. The amount of benefits you are entitled to under Social Security disability depends upon the amount that you worked in the past and the amount you earned during that time for Social Security Disability. Under SSI, your benefits are based on the unique facts and circumstances of your situation.
Delays in your benefits can put you in a difficult position financially, and once you are approved, you will need to make sure you receive all proper back benefits if your claim was delayed.
The Stages of the Social Security Disability Claims Process
Denials during the initial claim stage are very common for people without an attorney, with six out of every ten applicants being rejected on their initial claims, leading to an appeal. At the next stage, just two out of ten individuals win, meaning that eight out of ten individuals are denied their benefits on appeal.
You might need to attend a hearing where you and your attorney will have the opportunity to argue your case in front of an Administrative Law Judge. Having an attorney on your side to help with the hearing will ensure that you receive the best possible benefits for your injury and not less than what you are entitled to.
Whether you want to file the strongest claim possible initially or have received a denial of benefits, you should never wait to connect with an El Monte Social Security disability lawyer to learn more today.
