If you’re a disabled worker and are applying for Social Security Disability benefits in the Hawthorne, California area, you may assume that the many years you paid into the system ensure that you will be able to receive disability benefits when you need them. Unfortunately, this is not the case. Approximately 70% of Social Security Disability applications are denied. Even those applicants who eventually receive benefits usually do so after a wait of two years or more from the date of their application date. It can be extremely difficult for a disabled worker to try to live on little or no income while their Social Security Disability claim is pending.
When a disabled Hawthorne worker files an application for Social Security Disability benefits, it will take approximately 3-4 months for them to receive a decision. A large majority of applications are denied. A denial can be appealed by filing a Request for Reconsideration, but it will take another 2-4 months for this second decision to be issued, and only a small number of claims are approved upon reconsideration. When a second denial is received, the applicant can file the second appeal, a Request for Administrative Law Judge Hearing. The largest percentage of claims are granted at hearing level, but there can be up to a two year wait to have a hearing. If you’re applying for disability benefits in the Hawthorne, California area, hiring a qualified Hawthorne Social Security attorney can increase the chances that your claim will be approved without having to proceed through these multiple appeals. A Hawthorne disability lawyer can emphasize the most important evidence and present your claim in the most favorable way possible.
The Hawthorne, California economy is largely service-industry based, with numerous retail and food service establishments employing many area residents. Staples, Toys R Us, and Bank of America are some of the area’s top employers. The median household income is $44,052, but the cost of living is 40% higher than the national average.
Applying for Hawthorne Social Security Disability Benefits
Around 84,000 residents call Hawthorne, California home. Approximately 3% of all California residents are currently receiving Social Security Disability Insurance or Supplemental Security Income. They receive an average monthly payment of $1,098.
The Social Security office in West Los Angeles is responsible for scheduling hearings for Hawthorne disability applicants. The average wait time for a hearing to be scheduled is nearly a year, at 341 days. This counts only the period of time when the Hawthorne disability applicant was waiting for their hearing, and not the additional several months while their claim was being evaluated at the first two levels of the process.
If you are disabled and unable to work, it can be frustrating and difficult to deal with the hassle of filing multiple appeals and the lengthy wait for a disability hearing. An experienced Hawthorne Social Security Disability attorney knows how to present the evidence in the most favorable light and can increase the chances of your application being approved the first time around.
For more on disability benefits in California, see How To Qualify For Disability In California.
Hiring a Hawthorne Disability Attorney
If you do end up at an Administrative Law Judge hearing, having a knowledgeable Hawthorne disability attorney on your side can be of great benefit. A Hawthorne Social Security lawyer knows how to prepare legal arguments proving exactly how you meet the Social Security Administration’s definition of disabled. A Hawthorne disability attorney can also cross-examine any witnesses hired by the Social Security Administration. There is never a guarantee that the judge will find in your favor, but Hawthorne disability applicants should strongly consider hiring an experienced disability lawyer to give them the best chance of receiving an award letter at the end of the day.
You may think that you can’t afford to hire a Hawthorne Social Security Disability lawyer, but that isn’t the case. A California disability lawyer only receives a fee if and when you are granted benefits. There are no upfront costs. A Hawthorne disability lawyer’s fee would be 25% of your back benefit payments, up to a maximum of $6,000.
A Hawthorne Social Security Disability attorney will also handle disability claims for other area residents, including those in Los Angeles, Orange, and San Bernardino counties, and towns such as Lennox, Inglewood, Athens, Gardena, Lawndale, Redondo Beach, Manhattan Beach, and El Segundo.
Simply fill out the form if you would like to request a free evaluation of your Social Security Disability case to learn more about hiring a California disability attorney.
