It might be challenging to apply for Social Security disability benefits (SSDI). All the while, you are concerned about how you will provide for yourself now that your condition prevents you from working. These benefits can be gotten with the help of a qualified SSD lawyer. The top seven things you should be aware of prior to filing for SSDI benefits are listed here as a service to you.
7 Things You Should Know When Applying For Social Security Disability Benefits
Below are things you should do during your application for SSD benefits. You can get these benefits with the help of an SSD lawyer.
- As soon as you become disabled, you are eligible to claim for benefits. A common misconception is that applicants for SSDI benefits must wait 12 months before applying. You are eligible to file for SSDI benefits as soon as your disability arises.
The reason for the misunderstanding is that SSDI benefits are only given out for disabilities that persist longer than 12 months.
When you are no longer able to perform substantial work, you may apply if your medical records show that it will last longer than 12 months.
2. You must provide medical proof of your disability. Your impairment determines whether you are eligible for SSDI compensation, so you must submit documentation to support your claim. The applicant is disabled, but you will need more than just a doctor’s note to prove it.
The SSA has stringent requirements that cover the precise kind of medical evidence needed to substantiate the illnesses.
3. To be eligible for benefits, you must have worked a sufficient number of quarters.
To qualify for SSDI benefits, applicants must have worked a minimum number of quarters during a given time period. This is because the program is from Social Security taxes paid by employees.
This assumes that you have the necessary impairment. The number of quarters an applicant must have worked to be eligible for benefits relies on the applicant’s age at the time he became disabled and how long he had been employed on the date of disability, often known as the “recent work” and “duration of employment” tests.
4. No restrictions on resources or income exist. SSD eligibility is exclusively determined by an applicant’s disability. It is also determined by the number of quarters of employment.
It is not dependent on the applicant’s resources or income falling below a predetermined threshold. These thresholds only apply to those receiving Supplemental Security Income (SSI).
5. Most likely, your application will be rejected.
The likelihood that your application will be approved actually increases. When you appeal a decision because applications that are scheduled for a hearing are approved by the hearing officer.
6. Being organized will improve your chances of being accepted. SSDI applicants are not required by the SSA to meet with a disability examiner for an interview.
Thus, the information you supply will be the only data the disability examiner will consider.
Being ready before submitting your application will help to boost the likelihood that your claim will be approved at the initial evaluation.
This entails documenting your whole medical history as it relates to how the disability affects your ability to complete your daily activities.
7. You can retain legal counsel at any stage of the procedure to help you. You are not required to retain legal counsel to assist you with your SSDI benefit application or to represent you at any point in the appeals process.
But if you work with accomplished SSD lawyers, your chances of approval rise significantly. An experienced SSDI lawyer that only handles SSDI claims is familiar with the procedure and can make sure you give the SSA all the data it needs to prove your claim of disability.
Avoid These Mistakes when applying For SSD With your SSD Lawyer:
- Failing to receive regular medical care. Your medical records are the most crucial piece of evidence when evaluating your level of disability. You require summaries of your doctor’s findings.
You require the results of tests, such as lab results, x-rays, or MRIs.
This aids Social Security in validating your health issue, making the program and decision to provide you benefits more relevant.
People cannot just attend a hearing, disclose their symptoms, and voice their complaints in the hopes of receiving benefits.
2. Alcohol and illegal substance abuse. Benefits are rarely given to those who abuse alcohol and other drugs by judges. They might be concerned that a disability applicant will use the funds to purchase illicit drugs.
Congress even changed the legislation to state that if substance misuse is a factor in your handicap, your claim will be rejected.
If you have struggled with substance abuse but have since overcome it, be as detailed as you can about how you did it and when you stopped. Confirming dates might be made easier by enrolling in a rehabilitation program.
3. Working while making a disability claim. You might believe that you must try to work in order to exist because the application procedure can take more than two years.
Although it makes sense, working reduces your chances of receiving disability payments. And your claim will undoubtedly be rejected if you make too much money.
In our opinion, anything that costs more than $300 a month may be problematic. Anything over $500 a month will undoubtedly hurt your case.
And whatever “under the table” work you perform counts. Off-the-books employment should be avoided since the court may become suspicious of your true earning potential.
Judges dislike evasive responses about performing minor tasks “here and there.” Keep track of all your efforts.
4. Minimizing the expectations of your previous employment. Don’t unintentionally minimize how difficult your prior jobs were.
Sometimes persons don’t provide enough information about their prior obligations, which causes Social Security to determine that they may resume their prior employment.
Don’t just list “store manager,” for instance, without mentioning that the position also required you to carry out all the duties that everyone else did.
The amount of lifting, standing, bending, and climbing that you accomplished should all be recalled.
5. Not working with a local attorney for people with disabilities. An adept disability attorney knows how to pinpoint precisely which of your medical conditions will entitle you to benefits. Additionally, a lawyer is skilled in presenting your case to maximize your chances of receiving rewards.
Conclusion:
Working with a local attorney is crucial because they can get to know you and invest time and thought into your case to ensure you are ready for your hearing.
Only a few days prior to your hearing, some law firms assign you a lawyer. A warning sign is if the firm is unable to identify your attorney for a forthcoming hearing.
Judges are aware when your attorney makes last-minute preparations for your case. They don’t like it, either. A local attorney is more likely to initially develop a good rapport with the judge.
