Initial Application for Social Security Disability Benefits
There are three ways to apply for Social Security disability benefits. You can apply online via www.ssa.gov; you can make a telephone appointment by calling 800-772-1213; or you can apply in-person at your local Social Security office.
Get Legal Help With Your SSDI or SSI Initial Application
Some lawyers who handle disability benefits cases refuse to take on a case until the person's application has been denied. At Mathis & Mathis, P.C., our team of professional disability advocates is happy to help disabled individuals at any level of appeal or with the initial application process. From our office in Arlington, we provide legal representation to disability benefits claimants throughout the Washington, DC, metro area, Northern Virginia, Baltimore, the Mid-Atlantic region and throughout the United States.
Improve Your Initial Application: You have nothing to lose by getting legal help with your initial application for Social Security disability benefits. At Mathis & Mathis, we do not charge any up-front fees, and we only collect attorney fees as a percentage of any eventual back payment of disability benefits. Early legal guidance will likely strengthen your original application.
Important Facts About the Initial Application
Whether or not you get legal help with your initial application, there are a couple of important facts that every disability benefits claimant should know.
You Don't Have to Wait 12 Months: The Social Security Administration requires you to prove a reasonable expectation that your medical condition will prevent you from working for at least 12 months. This does not mean, however, that you must wait through 12 months of unemployment due to disability before applying. You may apply as soon as you have a reasonable expectation that you will be off work for at least 12 months.
Special Rules Apply to Return to Work: If you apply for Social Security disability insurance (SSDI) or Supplemental Security Income (SSI), and then your medical condition improves or you are able to return to work, you will not be penalized if you choose not to pursue your claim. If you are in doubt about your medical status, it is safer to apply sooner rather than later.
It's a Lengthy Process: This is one of the most difficult and discouraging parts of the disability benefits application process. It can take anywhere from two to eight months to receive a ruling on your initial application. If you are denied benefits, which many disabled people are at first, there are several levels of appeals. Don't give up — but don't count on a quick positive decision. If you can, make contingency plans to protect your financial security.
Appeal Immediately: The Social Security Administration sets strict time limits on the window within which you must appeal a negative decision on your initial application. You must submit the first appeal which is called a Request for Reconsideration, within 60 days of receiving the denial letter.
Schedule a Free Consultation to Get Legal Advice
At Mathis & Mathis, the sole focus of our practice is giving legal help to disability benefits applicants. We are committed to our mission of doing everything we can to make sure that people with disabling medical conditions get access to the disability benefits they deserve.
Learn more about our law firm by visiting our Frequently Asked Questions page. Or, schedule a free and confidential consultation. Call toll-free 888-309-9781, or contact us online.
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Every legal matter is different. The outcome of each legal case depends upon many factors, including the facts of the case, and no attorney can guarantee a positive result in any particular case.
