APPLYING FOR DISABILITY BENEFITS
APPLYING FOR SOCIAL SECURITY DISABILITY BENEFITS
Applying for disability benefits, or SSDI and SSI benefits, can be frustrating because you may not know what you need to do. Likewise, you may not know what questions the SSA will ask you when you apply. The most important thing you can do is begin your application. You can apply on the Social Security website.
If you have a computer or a phone with the internet, then you can access the SSA’s website. When you open the site, you will see a section that you can click on called “disability.” Click on the “disability” section and you will see a button that says, “apply for disability.” Once you click on that button, you have started your application for SSD and SSI benefits.
To begin, all you need to do is type in some basic information. If you are married or you have been married for greater than 10 years and that marriage ended in divorce of the death of your spouse, then you will need the basic information of your various spouses. For example, you will need their Social Security number, their birthday, and the date of marriage and divorce date. You will also need to know the city in which those events happened. For most people, this is information that is easy to come by.
HOW TO APPLY FOR SOCIAL SECURITY DISABILITY BENEFITS?
YOUR TOP QUESTIONS ANSWERED
If you’re applying for disability benefits, then you likely have specific questions. Here are clear answers to the most common ones:
How do I apply for Social Security disability benefits?
You can apply online through the Social Security Administration website, by phone, or in person. The fastest and easiest way is usually online.
What do I need to apply for SSDI or SSI?
You will need your Social Security number, birth date, work history, medical information, and details about your spouse or past marriages if applicable.
Can I apply for disability without all my documents?
Yes. You should start your application even if you are missing some documents. You can submit additional information later.
How long does it take to apply for disability benefits?
The initial application can take about 30–60 minutes online. But to receive your first answer as to whether they approve or deny benefits will take 3-6 months.
Does applying earlier increase my benefits?
Yes. Your benefits are tied to your application date. Therefore, applying as soon as possible can help you receive a higher amount of past due benefits.
What are common mistakes to avoid when applying?
Waiting too long to apply, leaving out important information, and not following up on requests from the SSA can delay your claim.
COLLECT YOUR PERSONAL INFORMATION
Before you apply for Social Security Disability benefits or Supplemental Security Income, make sure you have the information on hand that you need to fill out your application. For example, you will need your personal information; your Social Security number, birthday, marriage date, divorce date, and the names of your parents and children who are under the age of 18.
You will also need, if you have it, your bank account information. If you do not have a bank account, then this will not stop you from filing for SSDI and SSI benefits.
You may also need to provide a copy of your birth certificate. If you have become a citizen of the U.S., then you will need your official citizen paperwork to submit along with your application. Don’t let the lack of some of this information prevent you from filing for benefits. Remember, every day you wait to apply for benefits is a day that you lose money. Benefits are tied to the date that you apply, whether online, in the mail or by phone.
MEDICAL INFORMATION WINS SSD BENEFITS
One of the main points of filling out SSA’s application for benefits is to provide them with your medical information. In order to obtain your SSDI and SSI benefits, you must prove you have a severe medical condition that will prevent you from working for over one year.
Objective medical testing is the evidence that shows you cannot work. You can win benefits for physical or mental conditions or a combination of both. Either way, you will need medical evidence to prove your claim.
The application provides a place for you to fill out the names and addresses of your doctors. For instance, you will need the name, address, and telephone number of your primary care provider. Also, you will need the same information for your psychologist or mental health counselor. If there are other experts you see, then you will need their contact information as well.
WHEN APPLYING FOR BENEFITS INCLUDE HOSPITAL STAYS AND ER VISITS
Along that same line, you will also need to provide the information for rehab or your physical therapist. If you have visits to the Emergency Room at a hospital or a hospital stay, then you must also give them this information. Be ready to write the name, address, and phone number of any hospital stay. Also, be ready to write down the dates you were in the hospital.
The reason you must provide this information is simple. The SSA is going to contact your doctors and ask them to send your medical records. Your medical information includes your progress notes, emergency room visits, and hospital stays. Your progress notes tells the SSA about your treatment and gives them the medical opinion of your doctor. If you do not give the SSA all of the contact information for your doctors, then they will not be able to collect the evidence that proves you should be paid benefits.
WORK HISTORY FOR THE PAST 5 YEARS
Once you have shown the SSA that you have a severe medical condition under step two of the review process, then you must prove your medical condition prevents you from working. To prove you cannot work you must first show that you cannot return to any of your past jobs. Second, you must prove you cannot work at any job in the national economy.
Because one of the main issues in any SSD claim is whether or not you can return to any of your past jobs, the SSA will look closely at your work history. First, they will ask you to fill out a Work History form. They will examine your earnings record. They obtain your earnings record from the I.R.S.. Any income that you have paid taxes on is on your earnings report.
The SSA will compare your I.R.S. earnings to the list of jobs that you report to them on your application. Therefore, it is important to be ready to list all of the jobs that you have done in the past 5 years. The SSA recently changed the time period for past work from 15 years to 5 years.
If you have worked full time, for longer than 3 months, at any job – then you will need to provide that information to the Social Security Administration. It can be helpful if you have a resume. But do not submit your resume. Instead, just use it to write down where you worked on the SSA’s forms. If you do not have a written resume, then that is fine. But you should be ready to give the name and address of companies you have worked for on your application. This is true even if you own your own company or are self employed.
WHAT WE DO TO HELP YOU WIN SSD BENEFITS
You do not need to try to win SSD benefits by yourself. We can help you if you are applying for disability benefits. Also, we can help you appeal every SSA denial. For example, our attorneys and staff can:
- Send you the paperwork and forms you need to become our client
- Help you file your application for SSD and SSI benefits
- Inform the SSA that they should pay your benefits under the Compassionate Allowance Rules
- Request an appeal if you receive a denial
- Help you confirm your SSA doctor exam
- Request a Hearing with an Administrative Law Judge
- Prepare you to testify at your ALJ hearing
- Represent you at your SSD hearing and question the expert witnesses
- Read about job expert testimony
- Learn about medical expert testimony
- Request review of an SSA decision with the Appeals Council
- Request review of an Appeals Council denial in Federal Court
If you file your application for benefits on Social Security’s website, then you have 6 months to complete it. Try not to take that long to finish it. Once you submit your application online, the SSA sends you an application summary in the mail. You must sign the summary and mail it back. If you need help to file your application, then we will help you.
IS IT WORTH THE ATTORNEY FEE TO HIRE AN SSD LAWYER?
It isn’t easy to get Social Security benefits. Additionally, applying for disability benefits can be frustrating for most people. But, having an attorney during the application and appeal process makes it easier. It is our belief that when you have a law firm with experience handling your Social Security case, then the SSA follows their own procedures.
Additionally, when you have an attorney with legal experience, they will have access to the SSA’s decisions throughout the five step review process. They can also submit medical evidence that may be missing from your case.
There is evidence that hiring an attorney with the proper experience raises your chances of winning your SSDI and SSI benefits by 30%. It is also smart to hire an attorney to help you at your hearing. After all, you are the star witness. If you hire an attorney with experience, then they can prepare you to testify. It is important to learn about how to prepare for your SSD hearing.
HOW WILL YOU PAY THE ATTORNEY FEE?
We will use our legal skills to help you through the Social Security appeal process. It is our goal to win your case. But, it also our goal to make the appeal process easier for you.
We offer a free review of your case. There is no pressure to become our client. You ask questions, we answer. Even if we don’t accept your case, we will still try to help you.
It also doesn’t cost you any upfront money to hire us. Why? Because you only pay us an attorney fee if we win your case. If we win, then the SSA pays us out of your back benefits. Learn about past due SSD benefits. If you do not win, then you do not pay an attorney fee.
How much is the attorney fee? The attorney fee is whatever is less between 25% of your back benefit and the fee cap. This is best understood through an example. If your back benefit is $10,000, then your attorney fee would be $2500.
However, if your past due benefit is 100 grand, then you would not pay $25,000 in attorney fees. Instead, you would pay the amount of the fee cap which is $9200. Therefore, if we win your benefits, then the attorney fee is capped at $9200.
Regardless, you pay whatever is less between 25% of your back benefit and the fee cap. Additionally, you only owe an attorney fee if we win your case. Find out what it will cost to hire an SSD attorney.
APPLYING FOR DISABILITY BENEFITS IS EASY WITH OUR LAW FIRM
Applying for benefits sounds hard, but it isn’t. If you go into the SSA application online and begin the application, but don’t have all of the information you need, then you can finish it later. However, you will need a “re-entry number.”
Once you fill out some of the basics, the SSA website will give you the special number that allows you to come back and finish. Write it down. If you cannot finish your application all at once, then you can return to the online form. You can complete the application later by entering your number.
In the past 30 years, we have won over 20,000 SSDI and SSI cases. We are the best at what we do. You need an attorney with the legal experience to help you win your case. You also need a law firm that can fight for your benefits. Hire us. Don’t put your future income at risk.
Hire an attorney with the experience to get the results you need. For further information, contact our SSD law firm. We can help you when you are applying for disability benefits. We will do our best to win your claim.
