Securing Monetary Compensation When You Are Not Working
A physical or mental problem or incapacity that prevents a person from performing tasks for daily living, such as carrying out household responsibilities or working to earn a living, may be considered a disability. While some people may be born with these kinds of disabling conditions, other people may become disabled as a result of certain illnesses or accidents.
Some of the most common disabilities include blindness, deafness or hearing impairments, mental health conditions, physical disabilities, schizophrenia, and autism spectrum disorder.
The process of seeking government-sponsored disability benefits requires applicants to submit extensive documentation and undergo lengthy legal procedures, often with the assistance of a qualified lawyer to help claim those benefits.
In the United States, the Social Security Administration (SSA) is the agency responsible for overseeing disability benefits programs, specifically Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) and Supplemental Security Income (SSI).
Understanding the Application Process
The process of applying for disability benefits includes understanding the rules, documentation requirements, and deadlines. It can be a good idea to seek assistance from a legal professional who knows what steps to take on clients’ behalf, as they handle these types of cases regularly.
When working with an experienced lawyer, an applicant does not need to worry about the confusing paperwork or keeping track of deadlines. In some cases, especially when a person is mentally disabled, they may be unable to apply for benefits on their own.
In these types of situations, the person’s caretaker or relative may apply on the disabled individual’s behalf. If you are over 50, then disability rules after 50 will be applicable for your case. Be sure that you understand the rules before taking any steps in the process.
Some of the reasons why it can be valuable to hire a legal professional while applying for disability benefits include:
- The chances of getting approved for benefits may increase.
- An experienced lawyer will have a better strategy for seeking approval.
- A legal professional should be aware of all the disability criteria mentioned in the ‘blue book.’
- Lawyers can review a disability case and guide an applicant on how to provide the relevant documentation.
- They can help to get a medical opinion from a disabled client’s regular doctor and draft a detailed brief to the administrative law judge.
- They can prepare their client for any hearings at the claims office, if necessary.
- A skilled attorney can elicit helpful testimony from the person at the hearing.
- Attorneys can cross-examine the medical and the vocational expert to demonstrate that a person’s disability causes them to be unable to work.
A lawyer can clearly explain the entire process of applying for benefits to their disabled client, such as assembling all of the required documentation and completing the application form. They can also suggest the optimal category under which the person should seek disability benefits.
It is most beneficial to have a lawyer’s assistance right from the initial stages of the application process to reap the most significant benefits. A lawyer can also contact the client’s doctor with appropriate permissions regarding the client’s health condition and accordingly prepare the documents for the disability application. When initially applying for disability benefits or seeking reconsideration on appeal, applicants technically are not required to seek a legal professional’s assistance, so many people think advocates are not needed.
However, completing the application forms and assembling the correct documentation can be quite complex. A knowledgeable lawyer can guide the disabled person on how to fill out the forms without any errors. Without a lawyer’s help, most people are rejected for the benefits they need upon their initial application.
If you want to avoid unnecessary denials or delays in the benefits process, find a reputable legal professional and seek their guidance on the application process. They can stand by your side from the very beginning, helping you to avoid unnecessary rejection and applying for an appeal, if your application has already been rejected.
There are several levels of appeals that applicants can go pursue after denials. If an applicant’s reconsideration is also rejected, as this involves the only review of the application by the disability examiner, a disabled individual can bring their attorney in for an appeal hearing.
During the hearing, a legal professional can play a vital role in helping the committee understand the applicant’s serious health condition or financial state, both of which may rapidly deteriorate in some cases. With an attorney’s assistance, the disabled person may have a better chance of getting the benefits they deserve.
How Can Legal Help Benefit You?
Your Social Security benefits lawyer can assist you with collecting all of the required information for your application from your doctor and previous employer to prepare the necessary documents, which include:
- Evidence of your physical, mental, or cognitive health limitations
- The results of medical tests that provide insight into your disability, such as X-rays, MRIs, EKGs, EMGs, and EEGs
- Prescription records as prescribed by your medical practitioner, as well as a list of the over-the-counter medications that you have taken to treat your conditions, in addition to information regarding any resulting side effects that you have experienced from these medications
- Treatment plans and examination notes from your doctors and other treatment sources
- Functional assessments from your treatment sources
With a professional by your side, you may have a better chance of getting your claims settled easily, quickly, and without any issues. For terminally ill patients and individuals who are suffering from massive debt, securing the benefits they deserve needs to occur as early as possible.
In many cases, a disability attorney will collect their fees only after their client succeeds on their disability claim. While there may not be consultation fees, there may be additional charges if the disability benefits case progresses to the appeals stage and hearings occur. Despite the fees involved, it can be extremely valuable to hire an advocate for help in applying for disability benefits and appealing any subsequent denials.
A Florida disability lawyer will be dedicated to providing experienced and diligent representation to individuals who have been wrongfully denied the benefits they deserve or who have been treated unfairly by the Social Security Administration.