Every year, thousands of Americans develop disabilities that prevent them from living a healthy, functional life. If you feel like you are suffering in silence, but don’t know where to start or can’t afford an attorney, this may help guide you to starting your disability claim on your own.
To be eligible for Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) benefits, you are required to show evidence that you have a disability that prevents you from carrying out your day-to-day activities. Here are some documents you should compile before filing a claim.
- Medical reports that confirm that you have a severe physical or mental disability.
- Evidence that the disability is life-threatening or has lasted (or be expected to last) at least 1 year.
Lastly, these common yet painful and life-altering conditions will likely get you approved for SSDI with proper proof and documentation.
- Arthritis – there are over 100 different kinds of arthritis that disable 50 million adults in this country alone Most effect the joints and cause symptoms like swelling, stiffness, and chronic pain.
- Degenerative Disc Disease – symptoms include back and neck pain, numbness in the limbs, inflammation, soreness, and an inability to perform tasks without moderate to severe pain which makes it hard to maintain a job or take care of financial burdens.
- Cancer – although there is a large spectrum of cancer and the side-effects that correspond with type and severity – those with invasive, severe, or incurable cancers may qualify for disability benefits to ensure that their health can remain the number one priority.
- Paralysis – any loss of muscle function due to damage to the spinal cord. Strokes, spina bifida, multiple sclerosis, cerebral palsy, physical trauma, or any number of other disabling conditions can contribute.
- Parkinson’s Disease – due to the disorder’s debilitating nature, it is common for sufferers to receive disability benefits to provide funds while they are unable to work reliably.
Should you hire a disability attorney when seeking benefits?
If you know you are in need of Social Security disability (SSDI) or Supplemental Security Income (SSI) then the first question on your mind is likely where to begin? On the surface, applying for benefits may seem like a simple task, you download some forms and submit them to the Social Security Administration (SSA).
The most common mistake people make when taking on this task without legal representation is that they end up submitting too much irrelevant information and too little of what matters.
The Evidence Needed To Win
The single most important element that attorneys understand when taking on a disability case is how to develop the evidence needed for an approval for that client’s particular medical conditions.
When you hire your attorney, you will need to sign a medical privacy release that allows your attorney access to your medical records. The attorney will usually pay for these records for you until your case ends, at which time you will be billed for the cost.
Handling Your Hearing
You want someone in your corner who could win a disability hearing in their sleep. This is where your case is dissected and ultimately where they decide if you are entitled to the help you deserve.
Disability attorneys are familiar with the administrative law judges (ALJs) in their district. This matters because some ALJ could have biases towards certain medical conditions.
Your attorney can handle “bad facts” that may exist in your medical documentation. On the surface these facts are harmless, but could do irreparable damage to your disability case. Additionally, they handle all cross examination and prepare you for questioning.
How Expensive Is A Disability Attorney
The benefits of hiring an attorney definitely outweighs the cost! It is proven that if the same case were to be presented, that the case with the legal representation is more likely to be approved over the case without.
The costs are fairly straightforward: disability attorneys charge a fee regulated by federal law, which is usually the lesser of 25% of your disability backpay or $6,000. Little or no money is required up-front, and you’re only charged a fee if you win your case.
If you are interested in getting approved for Social Security Disability Benefits, and speak to someone that can help you apply, click the button below and complete the quick 30 second form now. We hope to help you receive the benefits you deserve
