HELPING DISABLED PEOPLE GET CASH BENEFITS
If you are permanently disabled and unable to work, you may be eligible to receive Social Security Disability Insurance benefits to help you make ends meet. Unfortunately, claimants with legitimate disabilities are routinely denied disability benefits based on application errors, missing documentation or other technicalities. Klain & Associates will guide you through the disability claims process to ensure this doesn’t happen to you.
Working with our team can significantly improve your chances of getting cash benefits. Whether you’re filing your initial application, appealing a denial or preparing your case for an ALJ
hearing, we will make sure your story is heard. Our team will evaluate your case to determine which government disability benefits you may be eligible to receive. We will assist you with gathering important documentation, medical records and work history information to support your claim. And we’ll make sure you comply with SSA disability application or appeal regulations.
To find out more about how we can help you get cash benefits, contact Klain & Associates online or give us a call at 800-818-HELP. Consultations are free.
WHAT IS SOCIAL SECURITY DISABILITY INSURANCE?
Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) is a disability benefits program administered by the Social Security Administration. It is designed to provide steady monthly payments to people who have worked in the past, but whose disabilities prevent them from working now or in the future.
Eligibility for SSDI is based on the work credits you’ve earned and the severity of your medical, mental or psychological impairment. If you’ve worked and paid taxes long enough and the SSA determines your condition to be severe enough, the program pays cash benefits to you and eligible members of your family for the duration of your disability. In some cases, certain family members may even receive monthly payments after your death.
Additionally, if you have a child whose disability began before age 22, he or she may also qualify for monthly cash benefits on your earnings record.
HOW THE SSDI PROGRAM WORKS
As an American worker, you’ve likely paid into the SSDI program through mandatory wage withholdings known as FICA taxes. FICA taxes fund two separate trusts: the Old Age and Survivors Trust (OASI) and the Disability Insurance Trust (DI). In the United States, employees and employers pay into the FICA program at a rate of 6.2% of the worker’s gross income. These payments ensure that you are covered if you become disabled and unable to work.
In theory, once a person becomes disabled, he or she should automatically be approved for the benefits provided through the SSDI program. Unfortunately, that is not typically the case. To obtain the
disability benefits you’ve worked hard to pay for all of your life, you’ll need to complete an application and allow your claim to proceed through the disability claims process.
Non-Medical Evaluation
Once you’ve submitted your claim, processing typically begins at your local field office where Social Security Administration representatives will evaluate your eligibility based on non-medical factors like your work history, current employment and age. Once non-medical eligibility is confirmed, the field office will forward your application to the Disability Determination Services (DDS) department.
Disability Determination Services
DDS is responsible for evaluating your medical evidence and determining whether you meet the SSA’s definition of disability. DDS will usually try to make a decision about your disability using the documentation you provided with your initial application. If there is insufficient evidence to make a decision, however, the agency may request a consultative examination. Although your treating medical or mental health provider is the preferred source for a CE, the agency may use an examination from an independent source to help them make the disability determination.
Once a determination is made, DDS will return your case to the field office for further action. You will then receive a letter in the mail informing you of the decision. If your claim is approved, You’ll begin receiving monthly payments. You may also receive back pay to compensate you for the period from when you became disabled to when your claim was approved. For some people, back pay is paid in combination with monthly benefits. For others, a lump sum is received.
What to Expect
Although some people who apply for SSDI receive benefits fairly quickly if their disabilities are severe, their condition is urgent or they happen to get lucky, most people wait months or even years for an approval. Too often, those benefits never come.
In fact, approximately 70% of disability claimants are turned down at the initial application stage. When that happens, many people lose hope and abandon their claims. Some start the application process over. Others continue to pursue benefits by applying for reconsideration, filing appeals, attending an ALJ hearing or even suing for benefits in federal court.
Do You Need an SSDI Attorney?
Are you considering filing for SSDI? Have you been denied the benefits you need to pay for housing, monthly expenses and to put food on the table? Are you unable to afford medical care to treat your condition? If you are permanently disabled and unable to work, the SSDI attorneys and disability advocates at Klain & Associates can more than double your chances of winning benefits.
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Navigating the rules, regulations and confusing terms when claiming Social Security Disability can be difficult. Our nationwide network of attorneys and advocates work with people at all levels of the SSI and SSDI claims processes. Let our team put your mind at ease and help you achieve success.