Most people do not ever consider the idea that they may become disabled, so most people do not have a plan for what they would do if they were someday unable to work and earn an income. If you have meet the Social Security Administration's (SSA) definition of disabled, and if you have enough qualifying work credits you could receive Social
While you may be entitled to receive SSDI benefits, getting your claim approved is another matter entirely. Only about 35% of those who apply for Social Security Disability will ever receive benefits. The application process is complicated, and it can be frustrating. The experienced Mobile Social Security Disability lawyers at Mezrano Law Firm have more than 40 years of combined legal experience and a successful record of guiding SSDI claimants through the application and appeals process. If you would like the comfort of knowing that you have a knowledgeable Mobile Social Security Disability lawyer by your side, schedule a free consultation today to discuss your case.
Social Security Disability Insurance is a federal program which pays monthly benefits to people who are unable to work because of a physical or mental disability. The Social Security Administration (SSA) has a strict definition of disability, which requires that a person has a physical or mental condition that keeps them from being able to work for at least one year or will result in their death. SSD is a total disability program.
To qualify for benefits, the claimant must have worked enough years and paid enough in Social Security taxes to qualify to apply for benefits.
Given that about 70% or so of applications for Social Security Disability benefits are denied, there are a lot of reasons for those denials. If you have applied for disability benefits and had your claim denied, you would have also received a letter containing the details about the denial and your options for appealing the denial. The following are some examples of why SSDI claims are denied in the initial application stage:
Insufficient medical evidence of disability
Proving your medical disability is central to qualifying for benefits. Your medical records must prove that your medical is disabling enough to keep you from doing any kind of work. Having a serious medical condition is one thing, but you must be able to show through medical records and your doctor's statements how the physical or mental condition interferes with your ability to work.
You did not follow your doctor's treatment
If you visited your doctor to be treated for the medical condition that is keeping you from being able to work, but then you did not follow through and undergo the treatment they recommended, then there is no way to determine if your condition could improve, or if it will continue to prevent you from working.
Your medical condition is not severe enough
If the SSA does not believe that your medical condition is severe enough that it will prevent you from working for at least a year or result in your death you will not be approved for benefits.
You are not cooperating with SSA requests
If you want your disability claim to be approved, you must comply with the SSA's requests. If you refuse to allow them access to your medical records, if you miss a consultative medical examination, your claim will not be approved.
Your case is not strong enough
Even if you qualify in the non-medical aspects of your claim, if your medical records do not sufficiently prove that you are unable to do any kind of work tasks, the SSA might deny your claim. Your residual functional capacity forms must clearly articulate your physical or mental limitations and how they impact all your daily activities.
The local Social Security Administration office for the Mobile area:
550 Government Street
Suite 100
Mobile, AL 36602
Phone: 865-593-1922
TTY: 800-325-0778
Once the SSA reviews your initial application and determines that you qualify for Social Security Disability benefits from a work credits perspective, and they have evaluated the type of work you have done most recently, your case will be forwarded to the Disability Determination Service (DDS) which will consider the medical aspects of your case and determine if you meet the SSA’s definition of disabled.
Alabama Disability Determination Services
Clairmont Office Plaza
P.O. Box C-300 2800
University Boulevard
Birmingham, AL 35233-0300
Mobile Office of Disability Determination Services
P.O. Box 2371 (36652-72371)
2000 Old Bayfront Drive
Mobile, AL 36615
When you realize that more than 70% of disability claims are denied on the initial application, most who apply will be required to go through the steps of appealing a claim. Most people who are applying for Social Security Disability benefits are doing it for the first time. They are unfamiliar with the application; they have to gather several bits of information just to be able to complete the application. It is complicated, confusing, and takes a lot of time and energy.
Conversely, an experienced Mobile Social Security Disability attorney has been through the process countless times before helping clients get approved for benefits. Why try to navigate such a challenging process when you could have the help of an experienced SSD lawyer? We will never promise you that hiring a Social Security Disability lawyer will guarantee that you will be awarded benefits. Still, we can promise that you will have an advocate by your side, gathering the evidence you need to develop and prepare a strong case for you. You can rely on a knowledgeable SSD lawyer to do the legwork required to track down medical records, get statements from the doctors who have treated you, and you get the benefit of an SSD lawyer’s thorough familiarity with the workings of the SSA and how their appeals process works.
We will not promise that you will win if you hire an SSD lawyer, but we can say that you will greatly improve your chances of getting your claim approved because you will have a much stronger case.
The Mobile Social Security Disability lawyers at Mezrano Law Firm take cases on contingency. So, you will have access to a lawyer without the requirement to pay a retainer upfront. Additionally, you will only pay attorney fees if your claim is successful. The fees your Social Security Disability attorney charges you are dictated by the Social Security Administration. You will be given a fee agreement which the SSA will review. If approved, your lawyer will receive their fees as a percentage of the back pay you receive. Federal law limits your attorney's fees to $6,000 or 25% of the back pay you receive, whichever is less.
Applying for SSDI benefits is complicated and there are many opportunities for a first-time applicant to make common errors that can derail your claim, costing you time. Working with an experienced SSD lawyer from Mezrano Law Firm will save you considerable time and effort and improve your chances of being awarded benefits. You may schedule a free consultation to discuss your case today.
If you are disabled are ready to apply for Social Security Disability Insurance benefits, the experienced Mobile SSDI lawyers at Mezrano Law Firm are here to represent you. We serve clients throughout Alabama.