You may be at a point where your disability makes work much harder. If so, you may decide to apply for Social Security Disability Insurance. But as you begin the application process, you may realize that applying for benefits can be a full-time job in and of itself.
Filing for SSDI often involves extensive paperwork. It can also involve digging through your medical records, work history and other documents to gather appropriate information about your condition and how it affects your life. If you don’t fill out these forms correctly or provide compelling and truthful evidence, it can decrease your chances of getting the benefits you need.
But while the Social Security Administration (SSA) denies more than half of disability applications, you can increase your chances of obtaining benefits the first time with the experience and guidance of a disability attorney.
How can an attorney help?
The right disability attorney can help you:
- Gather relevant evidence/medical documents: When filing a disability claim, you typically need evidence and medical documents that can demonstrate how your impairment limits your ability to work. Finding the necessary components and tying them all together can be complicated and time-consuming. However, that’s what experienced and knowledgeable disability attorneys do every day. They can evaluate your documents and evidence to see if you have a legitimate case. And if you do, they can use it to create an honest and compelling story about why you need SSDI.
- Navigate medical tests: The Social Security Administration (SSA) usually requires claimants to undergo specific medical examinations as part of the application process. However, claimants’ circumstances aren’t always the same. A disability attorney can review your medical records to see if you require extra testing that could uncover additional findings about your condition and its impact on your life.
- Avoid simple mistakes on your application: Many people make mistakes the first time they fill out an SSDI application. Some of these mistakes include providing vague employment history, participating in substantial gainful activities (SGA) or not getting a proper medical diagnosis. And while they’re easy to make, these mistakes can prolong the time it takes you to receive SSDI. Or they can prevent you from getting SSDI at all. An experienced disability attorney has likely seen the common pitfalls that can result in the SSA denying your claim and can help you avoid them.
Get the support you need to get the benefits you need
People can submit a successful SSDI application on their own. However, it’s often a rare occurrence. But when you have an experienced advocate on your side, you can stand a better chance of obtaining the benefits you need.
