Legal representation in social security disability cases is critical to your success. Lafayette lawyers will help you understand your options, the reasons behind your denial, and ways on how to maintain your current level of income after losing the ability to work.
Let Wright & Gray handle your claim even if you’ve been denied before. You can contact a Lafayette Social Security Disability lawyer any time.
Many people are unemployed and unable to work due to various hardships disabilities. This can lead to many personal struggles, and there may be something you can do about it.
Although you might want to work, it’s not always easy to do so when you’re struggling financially and your former workplace may have left things in a difficult position for you. Fortunately, there are options like Social Security Disability (SSD) that can help cover what you need so that you can carry on with your life. However, even if your former workplace did post pertinent information about SSD benefits and what they could do for those who needed it, things probably left the old workplace in a difficult position which means the new employer would be responsible for handling those benefits. That’s where we come in.
When someone gets sick or has an accident, they are usually at the hospital for a bit. There can be a lot of issues with this, but they may still lose some time from their life that they need to make up in order to come to terms with the newly discovered facts. This means financial instability and worries about daily activities. To help those who cannot work, the government has provisions in place such as Social Security disability benefits.
Social Security Disability can provide financial assistance for medical bills and other expenses. However, the application process can be quite scary and stressful at times. It’s possible that when a person is denied what they want, anxiety can take over.
People with a disability or illness are able to focus on getting their best quality of life possible in their recoveries. The best option for this is to hire an attorney who can help them with disability applications or appeals.
For more information on things like writing, hiring and working with us, contact us whenever you’re ready to get started.
Common Reasons Why Social Security Disability Insurance is Denied
The Social Security Administration, or the SSA, receives thousands of claims every year. Out of all the initial applications they receive; over 60% of them are rejected or denied because of the following reasons:
- Minimal Medical Evidence – This device is for people who become incapacitated due to a medical condition or injury. If you have been treated and have not been cleared, it may be that your doctor has not approved you for release. The best evidence to present for your disability application is medical records. They can show the severity of your illness and will help you make a convincing case for why you should be covered by the program. If you are at home after a short hospital visit, it means that your condition is not severe enough to warrant SSD assistance. People don’t mind spending more if it will save them money in the long term; but many times they make the wrong judgment call and find that they cannot claim their Social Security benefits as a result. Whether you are severely injured or risk your life while protecting others, you should always be sure to follow up on these matters.
- Refusal or Failure to Follow Medical Advice – Some people might not follow through with medical treatment for money reasons, but the SSA interprets this as a refusal to follow professional medical advice and grounds for disability denial. Unfortunately, mental health issues don’t always have immediate physical symptoms that can be seen or felt. All of these kinds of symptoms could be signs that someone needs help- but it’s without a doubt worth the effort to try and find them.
- Substantial Gainful Activity – Benefits can be obtained even after you return to work. It’s understood that while you are well enough to start working again, your work hours will be reduced. Your tasks may be limited because of your disability. Just as long as you earn at least $1,310 per month, the Social Security Administration (SSA) considers you to be making a substantial gainful activity. They consider this level of gainful activity to be significant and can lead to higher payments and more benefits. It might feel overwhelming at this point, but it’s OK to take a break. Social Security benefits are there for people who can’t make ends meet because of their disabilities. It might take some time & effort to recover from your accident, but it’ll be worth it in the end.
- Your Condition Isn’t Severe Enough To Warrant SSD – It is helpful to have a long-term disability insurance policy, but SSD is not limited to just those with disabilities. There are many other reasons it is beneficial, including that certain injuries like a fall can take up to six months or more in terms of healing. The SSA said the injury doesn’t warrant the disability that you’re applying for, and to re-apply again when your shin is no longer in a cast. They don’t usually accept those with a guaranteed offer.
- Doesn’t Cooperate With The SSA – Once you submit your application, the process can take several months. In the meantime, they might require you to submit a second round of proof or additional evidence. While you are recovering from your injury you may feel “extra careful” around the SSA in order to avoid any medical complications, but if that’s not your intentions then be sure to follow their instructions. They aren’t used to dealing with criminal convictions and as a result they might deny your application.
When you need to potentially revise your contract, it’s best to have legal representation on staff. They could help draft up the necessary evidence requirements and submit them for review if needed. Hiring a lawyer that is credible and familiar with your case is often one of the best decisions you can make when involved in legal proceedings. They focus solely on your case and take care of the legal work while you focus solely on recovering.
What Should You Do if Your Application Was Denied?
You applied for Social Security Disability Insurance but were denied. The Social Security Administration will tell you why in general and how to improve your chances for a denial in the future. Yes, you can appeal your denial of a promotion, but the appeals council will reject your request relentlessly if you don’t take the proper steps.
Review the Council’s Decision
Your application was denied by the Administrative Law Judges. If you’re unsure of what happened, please go over your documentation one more time. In most cases, the SSA is very lenient and will not deny applications outright. Some agencies will ask for additional medical records if they intend to process your insurance claim, so you should cooperate with them. If you need to prove that a document request was fulfilled, you can always provide the agency with their signed copy
There’s no one-size-fits-all – each company handles the legal aspects differently. While we don’t want you to be overworked, it’s best to get your lawyer involved and request a specific number of documents that you need for your case.
Double-Check Your Eligibility
A lot of people with disabilities don’t know how to get SSDI. They send in a form when they get injured, but the evidence needs to be submitted for at least a year or 2. For blind individuals, the evidence is needed for 5 years or more. SSDI is a high-quality, federally funded social insurance program designed to assist individuals meet the high cost of work. Once you are approved for SSDI, however, you cannot divert from this financial aid and many programs provide similar medical benefits while reducing their traditional monthly payments.
Hire a Social Security Disability Lawyer
If your application was denied the first time, it might be time to hire a lawyer. Lawyers can help you get through various steps such as reading your application thoroughly and preparing for appeals. While the application is denied, it’s important to contact the agency and give them a chance to reconsider. Making too many appeals may unnecessarily make you wait for approval. However, if your initial denial was unjustified, then it’s important to convince the agency that you don’t deserve the denial.
Other Alternatives to Social Security Disability Insurance
If you are not eligible for Social Security Disability Insurance, talking to an experienced business lawyer can help. They provide additional financial opportunities and other ways to collect income if you are unable to work. They can also advise you on how SSDI rules apply in some states, as well as determining your eligibility for rehabilitation programs in a few states.
- SSI Benefits – When you want to apply for SSA, make sure you provide an application for SSDI as well. It is important to know the differences between both of these programs and what eligibility rules apply.
- DAC – Disabled adult child benefits are offered to children who have a parent under the Social Security benefits program. To apply, you must be at least 18 years old and have suffered an illness or injury that results in disability before turning 22 years old.
- DWB – A widow/widower can receive Social Security benefits if the disability started before the age of 50, but only from month 35 after their partner’s death
Connect with a Lafayette Social Security Disability Attorney
At Wright & Gray, we provide you with the best legal representation possible. We’re here to help you find solutions to your disability or personal legal issues. If you want help navigating your situation, we offer free consultations.
Should You Hire a Disability Lawyer?
Many cases brought before a judge or jury can be won without hiring an attorney. However, when someone loses the case, this leads to distrust for those who are next in line and doesn’t help the issue at hand. The answer is to simply hire an experienced lawyer from the get-go. An experienced lawyer specializes in disability law. They might not always be able to overturn a decision an employer has made, but they’re able to handle all of the paperwork required to process your disability claims.
At Wright & Gray, we have a team of disability attorneys who are hard at work to find ways to make sure our clients’ disability doesn’t become even more harsh than it already is with the rejection of their benefits application. We offer assistance to those who need it financially so they can focus on the important work of healing.
