Applying for Hamilton Social Security Disability Benefits
If you suffer from a long-term or permanent disability and are not able to maintain employment due to the limitations that your condition places on you, chances are that you are also suffering from significant financial stress. Without any income, you may be faced with the task of struggling just to make ends meet for even the most basic of your living expenses.
To make matters worse, your disability-related medical bills can quickly ruin your finances and even your credit. Fortunately, in many cases, Social Security Disability benefits can help with these financial burdens. The problem is, it can take years before you ever see a payment from the Social Security Administration. If you want to increase your chances of receiving disability benefits in the Hamilton, New Jersey area, you need to consult with a Hamilton Social Security Disability attorney as soon as possible.
The economy of Hamilton, New Jersey is better than that of much of the surrounding areas and the nation in general. The unemployment rate in the township is 1.5 percent below the rest of the state's and the average household income is more than $73,000. The township's economy benefits from a diverse range of businesses ranging from small boutiques to big box stores.
The entertainment and retail sectors play the leading role's in the area's economic well-being. While the average household income in Hamilton is well above the national average, the annual cost of living only comes in at 18 percent higher.
Hamilton Township is home to more than 88,000 New Jersey residents. In the State of New Jersey, approximately 3.4 of the residents receive Social Security Disability payments. The average monthly benefit amount for a disabled New Jersey worker is $1,164.50 per month. This monthly disability payment can definitely help offset some of the financial stress that can be created by a disabling condition, as can the Medicare benefits that are provided to disabled individuals. However, it takes the average Hamilton Social Security Disability applicant more than two years before seeing their first disability payment from the Social Security Administration.
Why does it take so long for Hamilton disability applicants to begin receiving Social Security Disability payments? This is largely due to the fact that nearly 70 percent of disability claims are denied by the Social Security Administration during the initial stage of the application process. This results in the need for a disability appeal, which usually consists of a Request for Reconsideration and a disability hearing before an administrative law judge.
The office that is in charge of scheduling hearings for Hamilton disability applicants is the Newark, NJ ODAR Office. It takes this office an average of 517 days from the date of a hearing request to have a hearing scheduled for a Hamilton applicant.
Hiring a Hamilton Disability Attorney
The initial disability claim process only takes two to three months to complete. Ideally, Hamilton-area Social Security Disability applicants should do everything they can to have their initial claim for benefits approved, thereby avoiding the need for a long and drawn-out disability appeal. In many cases, the services of a Hamilton Social Security Disability lawyer can help.
When you hire a Hamilton Social Security attorney, your attorney will review your disability case with you. He or she will help you fill out the claim forms properly, ensuring that the paperwork is submitted in such a way that it will provide you with the best possible chance of success. Your attorney will also ensure that you have provided the SSA with sufficient medical evidence. Proving that you have a disability that meets the SSA's determining criteria is your responsibility. Your Hamilton Social Security lawyer can ensure that you do this effectively.
If you have already applied for benefits and have been denied during the initial application stage of the disability claim process, your Hamilton disability attorney can work with you during each stage of your disability appeal. This means filing the appeal paperwork in a timely manner and gathering additional medical evidence that may be needed in order to prove your case to the Social Security Administration.
The first thing your attorney will do is file a Request for Reconsideration. This request, however, is likely to be denied. The SSA approves fewer than 80 percent of the reconsideration requests that it receives. The next stage, which is the disability hearing, is when you will have the greatest chance of being awarded the disability benefits that you may be entitled to.
Your Hamilton disability lawyer will prepare you for your disability hearing, informing you as to what you should expect, how you should conduct yourself and what questions you will need to answer. Statistics show that applicants who have proper legal representation at a disability hearing are more likely to be awarded benefits than applicants who do not.
A Hamilton Social Security Disability attorney will also handle disability claims for applicants who are located in the areas of Clifton, East Orange, Glen Rock, Hackensack, Hoboken, Jersey City, Montclair, New Brunswick, Newark, Newton, Parsippany, Paterson, Somerville, Springfield Ave, Union Township and Woodbridge.
