| SOCIAL SECURITY DISABILITY |
| We have an experienced staff willing to help you navigate the very confusing and frustrating process of obtaining Social Security Disability benefits. Please review the information on this page and if you have further questions, please contact the office for an appointment. We can help you most if you bring in any paperwork you have received from the Social Security Administration (SSA) and all of your medications when you come to your first appointment. If you have a list of all your doctors or a copy of the information you gave to SSA, that can help as well. |
Many clients believe that the only issue is whether or not they are sick enough or disabled enough to convince a Judge they should be awarded benefits. However, before the Social Security Administration even gets to the issue of your particular disabling conditions, SSA must determine if you are otherwise eligible for benefits.
I often explain to clients that Social Security benefits are similar to short-term or long-term disablity insurance that you might buy through your employer. You are not eligible unless you paid the premiums. The way you pay your premiums for SS benefits is through the taxes that are taken from your pay check each time you get paid. If you have never held a job where taxes were paid on you, you will never be eligible for SS benefits. For example, a housewife who has never worked, would not be able to get SS benefits because she has never paid into the system. Therefore, it is helpful if you have been screened by the SSA to determine if you are eligible for SS benefits.
However, Supplement Security Income or SSI, is available to those individuals who don't meet the earnings requirements, if you meet the medical requirements. So, don't give up just because you may not be eligible for SS benefits.
As always, there are exceptions to the above, for example, children's benefits are different. There are also situations where a spouse may be entitled to claim under their spouse's social security. So, before you abandon any claim for benefits, make sure you talk to a lawyer.
The medical requirements for SS and SSI benefits are extremely important. The key thing to know is that every case is determined individually and no two cases are exactly alike. Therefore, please do not rely on antecdotes from friends or family. You should always consult a lawyer to help you determine if you are eligible for benefits. |
You will have to make the initial filing for Social Security benefits yourself or with the help of a friend or family member.
You can contact the Social Security Administration in person by going to their office at 3420 Clemson Blvd or calling their toll free number at 1-800-772-1213 or going to their website at www.ssa.gov.
Once you have filed, keep a copy of everything you send to them and everything you get from SSA. Please bring all of these documents with you when you meet with us the first time. |
YOU ONLY HAVE 60 DAYS TO APPEAL.
When you recieve the first letter denying your benefits, contact our office immediately.
We will file the appeals documents for you but you must get into our office so that we can do so in a timely manner. If your time is running out to file your appeal, please let the receptionist know that so we can get you in as quickly as possible. |
Unfortunately, waiting is the thing you can definitely expect. The Social Security Administration is extremely behind in determining the outcome of cases. This typically has nothing to do with you or your particular situation. We will do everything in our power to make sure that the appropriate employees know about your situation. However, there is no magic answer to getting you a hearing or a decision within any particular time frame.
Some people write to their Congressman or Senator to ask for help in speeding up the process. While I do not discourage clients from doing anything they think might help, I have not experienced any case where such contact actually sped up the process. Our Congressmen and Senators always do all they can to make contact on behalf of constituents, however, there are so many claims and requests for help, they are bogged down as well.
You can also expect my staff to help you with any questions you have. We will keep you informed with any new information that we receive about your case. It is also important for you to keep us informed about your situation. If you see new doctors or have new tests or diagnoses, we need to know about them immediately.
It is always best to make an appointment to come in with any specific medical questions or information. But from time to time, you will need to call and leave messages for me or my staff. If you have a specific question or piece of information to convey, leave a detailed message so that we can get the correct person to call you back. The more information you can give to the receptionist about what you need to know, the better.
When we finally get notice that we have a hearing scheduled. You will meet with me and we will go over all the details of your case and exactly what the hearing will include. Almost all clients are nervous but I will do my best to give you all the information you need and preparation to make the hearing as painless as possible for you. |
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The information you obtain at this site is not, nor is it intended to be, legal advice. You should consult an attorney for individual advice regarding your own situation.
Copyright©2007 by Law Office of Nancy Jo Thomason. All rights reserved.
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