Social Security Disability Benefits

What to Expect

A combination of budget cuts, a lack of staff at social security offices, and an increase of potential recipients, has made getting Social Security Disability or SSI benefits a difficult, three-year process. However, with the proper help and guidance, we can still be successful in getting the Social Security benefits to which you are entitled.

When you apply for disability, you will be turned down twice. Everyone is. Social Security hopes that you will become discouraged, depressed and defeated and simply give up. They will write you letters that make you feel like a liar and a faker. Again, they hope you give up and go away. They will send you to doctors that will say you can do things that you couldn’t even try. Again, Social Security wants you to give up. We will help you appeal your case and get you before a judge. It is at this point, that we can prove to the judge how and why you are disabled and can no longer work, and should, therefore, receive disability or SSI benefits.

Social Security Disability Supplemental Security Income (SSI) programs provide assistance to people with disabilities. Disability, according to Social Security, is based on your inability to work. You are considered disabled under Social Security rules if because of a medical condition:

1. You cannot do work that you did before;
2. Social Security decides that you cannot adjust to other work because of your medical conditions; and,
   
3. Your disability has lasted or is expected to last for at least one year or you have a terminal illness.

You will be considered disabled if you have once of a list of medical conditions that are so sever you are automatically disabled or because your medical conditions taken as a group are so severe that it is like you had once of the automatic disabling conditions. Most people fall into the second category and this is why it is so important to be represented by a good Social Security attorney. We can help put your medical conditions, the way they affect you, your medications, and side effects together in such a way that the judge will have no choice but to find your medical conditions disabling.

Once there has been a determination that you have a severe medical condition, Social Security will then look to see if your condition keeps you from being able to do the work you did before. If the judge decides you can no longer do the work you used to do, he will then see if there is any job, anywhere in the United States, that you can do. It doesn’t matter whether or not that job is anywhere near where you live, just that it exists somewhere in the United States! Again, this is where we can make sure that your medical evidence and testimony is such that the judge will find you can do no work, no matter what!

Social Security Disability benefits are available to those individuals who have worked long enough under Social Security. You need a certain number of work credits, which are based on your total yearly wages or self-employment income, to qualify. Generally, you need 40 credits, 20 of which were earned in the last 10 years. $4,200.00 worth of earnings equals 4 credits, the maximum you can earn in one year. When Social Security takes money out of your paycheck, think of it as making an insurance payment. As long as you pay your insurance, you are covered. If you do not pay, then your insurance is cut-off and you are not covered. You can call Social Security and ask for a Social Security statement.

If you have not worked recently enough, or ever, but are disabled under Social Security rules, you may qualify for SSI or Supplemental Security Income. SSI is a needs-based program. Social Security will look at your household income and your assets to determine whether you qualify. They will look at who lives with you, total household income, type of housing and any other assistance you may receive. The rules are fairly strict, but we can help you present your situation to Social Security in a way that helps you the most.