Social Security Attorney Camdenton and Lebanon, MO

To be considered disabled by the SSA, a person must have an impairment that meets the definition of disability. This can be either medical, psychological, or psychiatric in nature.

It is vital to prepare before applying for disability. Many disability claims are denied because the claimant did not fill out the application completely or accurately. Social security adjudicators and Administrative Law Judges give substantial weight to medical records. So before you apply, it is crucial to list all the names and addresses of the medical providers and doctors you have sought treatment from for your disability. Also, list all the prescription medications you take and every place you worked in the last 15 years before applying for disability.

Eligibility

To be eligible for social security disability benefits, you must have been unable to work a full-time job for 12 months because of a medical condition, or you must expect to be unable to work for 12 months. If possible, we recommend waiting 12 months after your disability prevented you from working to apply for disability benefits because you are much more likely to win.

Claimants are often confused between the difference between Social Security Disability (SSDI) and Supplemental Security Income (SSI). While both SSI and SSDI disability programs offer cash benefits for disabled individuals, the financial eligibility requirements are very different.

• Social Security Disability is available to individuals who accumulated enough work credits. Generally speaking, you need 40 work credits with 20 of those credits earned in the last 10 years and ending with the year you became disabled. If you have worked 5 out of the last 10 years, you likely have enough work credits to qualify for disability benefits, however, there are exceptions.
• Supplemental Security Income is a strictly need-based program and is available to disabled individuals who have never worked, who are making under the income limit for SSI, or have not earned enough work credits.

Claims examiners at the state disability determination agency decide whether you are medically eligible for Social Security disability or SSI.

Social Security disability cases can take a long time to complete. It’s wise to apply as early as possible to get benefits faster.

Generally speaking, the rules of SSDI and SSI are more favorable to claimants who are 50 and older. This is because individuals in this age group have more limited opportunities to find work due to their health and mental conditions, their inability to perform past relevant work, and the reality that employers are not as likely to hire older workers because of the perception they are more difficult to train.

There are several ways to apply for Social Security Disability benefits or SSI benefits based on disability. You can apply online by going to the Social Security Administration’s website at www.ssa.gov. Claimants can apply by telephone by calling 1-800-722-1213 and you can also go to your region’s social security office and state that you wish to file an application.

In many parts of the country, the Social Security initial application and appeals process has gotten longer due to a steep rise in disability claims.

Each state has an agency that decides disability claims for Social Security.

For a Social Security disability case, medical evidence takes many forms, including physician treatment notes, mental health records, bloodwork panels, and imaging results.

There are few sources of assistance for those seeking Social Security Disability benefits.

There are conditions for which disability is automatically approved if you fulfill the listed requirements.

In 2017, the average Social Security disability benefit (SSDI) was $1,171.00 per month. The maximum disability benefit a beneficiary can receive is $2,687. The amount you receive in disability benefits is based on how much you paid in Social Security taxes.

If you have a favorable decision in your Supplemental Security Income case, your maximum benefit is approximately $735.00 per month. However, the Social Security Administration will likely deduct a certain percentage of your benefits if you are living in another person’s household or have assets of value.

The field rep checks your basic non-medical eligibility and forwards your case to DDS.

In some cases, if your last job was part time, you’ll be denied disability if you can’t work full time but you can work part time.

A car accident disability is something you can get Social Security or SSI benefits for if it lasts over a year.

Regardless of whether you are considering applying for disability benefits or your case is pending, it is critical to seek as much medical treatment for your disability as you can. The Social Security Administration gives substantial weight to medical records and any medical treatments you have had for your disability because it is considered objective evidence that accurately describes your disability. If you cannot afford health insurance, we would recommend applying for Medicaid.

If you are denied on your Social Security Disability or SSI benefit claim, you should request an appeal immediately, within the 60-day deadline.

It depends on the type of claim, the condition of your medical records, and the workload of your claims examiner.

Generally, the rule is this: If you are denied on your initial claim for disability benefits, you will probably be denied on your first appeal as well.

Being found totally and permanently disabled by workers’ comp doesn’t necessarily translate to disability for Social Security or SSI.

Back Payments are payments the social security administration should have been paying you while you were going through your appeal. Back payments are calculated differently based on the type of claim you file.

• For Social Security Disability claims, the back payments begin at the alleged onset date. The likely onset date is when you believe your disability or combined disabilities prevented you from working.
• For Supplemental Security Income claims, the back payments will typically begin on the date you applied for Supplemental Security Income.

Use an Experienced Social Security Attorney

Claimants must remember that the Social Security Administration or the Administrative Law Judge may disagree with your alleged onset date and change it. We have had several cases where Administrative Law Judges changed the suspected onset date because the Judge did not believe there was enough objective medical evidence to support the alleged onset date, or the Judge considered the claimant could work still after the alleged onset date.

Claimants are often nervous before the disability hearing simply because they do not know what to expect. When you appeal your case, you can request an in-person or Virtual Teleconference Hearing.

• If you choose a Virtual Teleconference Hearing, your hearing could be at a local Social Security Administration Office. In this part of the state, these hearings occur at the Social Security Administration offices in Jefferson City, Lebanon, and Sedalia.
• If you choose an in-person hearing, it will be held at an Office of Adjudication and Review (ODAR). In this part of the state, in-person hearings are held at the ODAR location in Columbia.

What Happens Next?

If you have an in-person hearing, it will take place in a much smaller courtroom than one you would see at a county courthouse. There will be an administrative law judge, a court reporter, and a vocational expert in the courtroom. 

The court reporter will swear you and the vocational expert in, and the hearing will begin. The administrative law judge will review your file with all of your medical records and ask you questions about your past work, physical and mental limitations, daily activities, and social life.

How Long Until the Final Decision?

After you are done testifying, the administrative law judge will then ask the vocational expert hypothetical questions about what jobs a person with your disabilities could perform. You will then have a chance to cross-examine or ask the vocational expert follow-up questions.

The Administrative Law Judge will not make a ruling at the end of the hearing. It typically takes three to six months to receive the final decision.

We have had countless clients tell us they were hesitant to get a disability attorney because they could not afford one. Our fee is completely contingent on winning your case, which means we do not get paid unless you win.

If you hire us, we will have you sign a fee agreement which allows us to collect 25% of the past due benefits you are awarded, up to a maximum of $6,000.