Many of us go about our daily lives not really considering what would happen if we were suddenly faced with an inability to work because we don’t like to think about what would happen if we were no longer able to earn an income. Many of us take comfort in the fact that we could simply apply for Social Security Disability benefits in order to make ends meet should such a disaster occur.
Unfortunately, Social Security Disability benefits are not always as easy to obtain as one might imagine. The fact of the matter is that between 60 and 70 percent of initial disability applications are denied by the Social Security Administration. If you are in need of Social Security Disability benefits in the Germantown, Maryland area, you need to consider the services of a Germantown Social Security Disability attorney if you want to increase your chances of being among the few who are approved during the initial stage of the application process.
The economy of Germantown is flourishing when compared to most of the nation. While the U.S. unemployment rate is at 9.10 percent, the unemployment rate in Germantown is only 5.0 percent. While the job growth in the United States is negative 0.12 percent, the job growth in Germantown is a positive 1.47 percent and the future is looking up.
Future job growth in the area is expected to be nearly 38 percent. The median household income in Germantown is approximately $76,000. While $76,000 is higher than the national average, the cost of living index in Germantown is also higher coming in at 22 percent above the national average.
Applying for Germantown Social Security Disability Benefits
Germantown is home to more than 84,000 residents. In the State of Maryland, approximately 3.1 percent of the population receives Social Security Disability benefits. Maryland Social Security Disability recipients receive an average payment of $1,093.70 per month, but that number is expected to go up with period Cost of Living Adjustments.
While it is true that this monthly disability payment can help a disabled worker meet his or her basic living expenses, many disability applicants are surprised to discover that it takes the average Germantown Social Security Disability applicant nearly two and a half years to receive their first Social Security Disability payment.
Why does it take so long for a Germantown Social Security Disability applicant to complete the disability claim process? The two and a half year wait time has to do with the fact that the majority of disability applicants are denied benefits during the initial stage of the application process. Each denied applicant must then pursue a disability appeal if he or she hopes to obtain disability benefits in the future.
Most disability appeals result in the need for a hearing before an administrative law judge. Because so many cases are awaiting such a hearing, the wait times are extensive and it takes approximately 452 days for a Germantown Social Security Disability applicant to be scheduled for a disability hearing.
The only way to avoid the need for a disability appeal and a disability hearing is to have your claim for benefits awarding during the initial stage of the application process. If you want to increase your chances of being approved for disability benefits during the initial application stage, the services of a Germantown Social Security Disability lawyer may be the answer.
Hiring a Germantown Disability Attorney
While many disability applicants do not think about hiring a disability attorney until their claim for Social Security Disability benefits has been denied, having an attorney during the initial stage of the application process may mean the difference between an approval and a denial of your initial disability application.
Your Germantown Social Security attorney can go over your disability application with you, helping you gather the medical evidence that will be needed in order to prove your disability to the adjudicator who will be reviewing your file. Your attorney will also help you prepare your application in such a way that it has the best chance for approval during the initial stage of the application process.
If your initial application for Social Security Disability benefits is still denied, your Germantown disability attorney will be able to represent you through each stage of your disability appeal. He or she will begin to gather additional evidence to submit to the administrative law judge who will be hearing your case. Your Germantown disability lawyer may also retain expert witnesses to testify on your behalf to prove that vocational rehabilitation is not possible based on your medical condition.
While you do not have to have an attorney to pursue a disability appeal, statistics show that applicants who obtain legal representation are more likely to be awarded benefits than applicants who choose to represent themselves.
