Need Help With a Social Security Income (SSDI/SSI) Issue? Call 1-800-ATTORNEY!
The U.S. Government has a program which provides individuals who are unable to work due to a sickness or disability with funds to help them take care of certain financial obligations on a month-to-month basis. Social security is a government mandated plan that’s overseen by the Social Security Administration (SSA).
There are various things that you need to demonstrate before being considered eligible, and we’ll take a look at these shortly.
Here are the types of social security disability plans you can qualify for:
- Social Security Disability Insurance (SSD / SSDI): This is available only to disabled individuals who have worked a certain number of years. At the same time, people who apply for this type of social security must have a certain number of ‘work credits’ in order to qualify. Lastly, you must have worked some part of the last 5 or 10 years before you became disabled.
- Supplemental Security Income (SSI): This is available to blind, the disabled or people over the age of 65. This program is run by the Social Security Administration in conjunction with your state government. Because of this, the eligibility requirements vary from one state to the next.
According to the SSA, disability is defined as any physical or mental issue that stops you from working and earning a decent wage.
Some of the conditions that qualify you to receive social security benefits include:
- Asthma and breathing disorders
- Back problems
- Cancer
- Fibromyalgia
- Heart conditions
- Traumatic brain injury
Depending on your condition, it may be difficult to get benefits. Your best bet at getting a successful outcome lies in proper legal representation. It’s not uncommon to have your initial request denied. The key lies in being honest in your application about your condition, filling in the paperwork in a timely manner, and if necessary, appealing the denial decision.
There are a few things that you need to consider before hiring a social security attorney:
- Social security attorneys usually take on cases on a contingency fee basis. That is, they won’t charge you anything unless they win your case for you.
- You and your chosen social security lawyer will need to get into a written agreement stipulating how much you’ll pay him or her if your case is successful. This amount is usually below 25 percent of your total expected back pay.
- You will benefit by hiring a lawyer as soon as possible, preferably at the beginning of the process.
If you are initially denied assistance, you can file an appeal. However, please be aware that the appeal process may be lengthy, requiring you to prove certain aspects as well as cooperate with process closely to ensure success the second time around. You only get one appeal, and this should not be done without a lawyer.
Get Legal Help Today!
If you’re having issues getting your social security benefits, get in touch with us by calling 1-800-ATTORNEY or filling in the email form on this page with details of your situation. We’ll explain the options available to you at no cost. We look forward to speaking with you today!
