What Constitutes an SSD Claim?
When you or a member of your family become disabled, it’s important to have the money you need to survive. The Social Security Administration offers benefits for people with disabilities. By filing a SSD claim, you can find out if you qualify and what disability benefits you are entitled to.
During the claim process, you may not have sufficient information to support your claim. As such, you may be denied benefits. Learning more about an SSD claim can help you to get the benefits that you need (and deserve). Often, it’s necessary to work with a disability attorney Pennsylvania so you get help with the process.
What Constitutes a Social Security Disability Claim?
An SSD (Social Security Disability) claim is where you request income assistance from the Social Security Administration. If you believe that there is a mental or physical disability preventing you from being able to lead a normal life and/or find a job, a claim should be filed.
There are five stages involved with the disability claims process:
- Initial
- Reconsideration
- Hearing
- Appeals council hearing
- Federal District Court appeal
The reason that the stages are important is that approximately 60% of applicants are denied during the initial stage. Knowing this means it’s all the more important to work with State College Social Security disability lawyers – especially knowing that you only have 60 days to file for reconsideration if you get denied.
Knowing what constitutes an SSD claim can help you to identify if you qualify or not. However, you will have needed to have worked in jobs at some point to be covered by Social Security. If you never paid Social Security, you don’t qualify.
Further, you have to show that you’ve been unable to work for at least a year. At that point, the benefits are paid until you are able to work again – or indefinitely if you have the ability to prove such.
There’s no age threshold to meet when you are seeking Social Security disability benefits. However, the older you are, the easier it is to qualify in most instances.
How an Attorney Can help You Make a Claim
If you are struggling financially because of a disability, it’s important to know that there is help and support from the government. It can be overwhelming, though, which is why contacting a PA disability attorney can make sense.
At Engle Kauffman & VanHorn, we have over 60 years of experience working as State College Social Security Disability attorneys. We can guide you through the process of completing your claims paperwork – and even representing you during a hearing or appeal so that your case is heard in its entirety.
One of the ways that we set you up for a successful claim is by ensuring that all of your paperwork is ready. We’ll help you find and draft the necessary documentation, which includes:
- Work history
- Current earnings
- Income/assets
- Bank info
- Benefits you receive
- Citizenship status
- Medical records
While it’s not uncommon to have a claim denied, the goal is to have it accepted the first time around. It speeds up the process so that you can begin getting the benefits you deserve as quickly as possible.
When you can provide proof that you had a steady job before becoming disabled, it can help. Further, by showing that you have received consistent medical care, it strengthens your case to show that you’re not only disabled but that you’ve been receiving the care to manage your disability.
Gathering the information you need and fighting for your benefits is easier when you work with a disability attorney in PA.
When you call us at Engle, Kauffman & VanHorn, we can provide you with the State College Social Security disability lawyer that you can depend on to guide you every step of the way.
