There are thousands of disabled workers living in Lee's Summit and struggling to make ends meet. Many of these workers suffer from a long-term or permanent disability, resulting in an inability to earn a living. In the past, these workers relied on their paychecks to cover their daily living expenses.
Now, due to their disabling condition, a paycheck is not an option. It is cases like these in which Social Security Disability benefits are intended to help. Unfortunately, nearly 70 percent of the people who apply for Social Security Disability benefits are denied during the initial stage of the application process.
These applicants must then pursue the lengthy and complicated disability appeal process in order to obtain the benefits they need. If you want to increase your chances of receiving the disability benefits that you may be entitled to, the services of a Lee's Summit Social Security Disability attorney may increase your chances of being awarded benefits during the initial stage of the application process or, if necessary, filing a successful Social Security Disability appeal.
Until 1986 Lee's Summit had been known as a bedroom community. However, the community leaders wanted to see growth and development and, as a result, developed the Lee's Summit Economic Development Council. The goals of this council were to attract new businesses to Lee's Summit and retain businesses that were already located in the community.
A part of the plans to change the economic status of the area was the city's Vision of the Heart Plan. This plan was adopted in 1992 and created tax incentives and low-interest loans to individuals who wished to clean up the historic area of the city and restore the area's historical building's to their prior glory. Nowadays the economy of Lee's Summit benefits from a diverse range of industries including the retail, green energy, education and manufacturing sectors.
Applying for Lee's Summit Social Security Disability Benefits
While in the early 1980s there were only about 40,000 people living in Lee's Summit, that number has more than doubled and there are now over 90,000 residents who call the city home. In the State of Missouri, approximately 5.4 percent of the population receives Social Security Disability benefits. The average disability applicant in this state receives approximately $1,036.20 per month.
While that amount can significantly help a disabled Lee's Summit worker meet his or her living expenses, the fact of the matter is that the average Lee's Summit disability applicant must wait more than a year before seeing their first Social Security Disability payment.
Why does it take so long for a Lee's Summit disability applicant to begin receiving disability benefits when the initial application process only takes three to six months? The reason is due to the fact that the majority of disability claims are denied during the initial stage of the application process. This results in the need for a disability appeal, which almost always involves a hearing before an administrative law judge.
Because there are so many appeals backlogged in the Social Security system, a Lee's Summit disability applicant must wait an average of 463 days before being scheduled for such a hearing. Once approved for benefits, some claimants may have their finances taken care of by their representative payee if they are too young or unable to do so.
Hiring a Lee's Summit Disability Attorney
When you hire a Lee's Summit Social Security Disability lawyer, your lawyer can help ensure that your claim is presented to the Social Security Administration in the best light possible. This will increase your chances of receiving an approval during the initial stage of the application process. The first thing your lawyer will do is go over your case with you and help you gather the medical evidence that you will need to prove your disability to the Social Security Administration. Your Lee's Summit Social Security attorney will then help you prepare your application and submit it for processing to the SSA.
If your application for Social Security Disability benefits is denied, even with the help of a Lee's Summit Social Security lawyer, you still have hope. It may take some time, but you can appeal the SSA's decision to deny the disability benefits you need.
The average Social Security Disability appeal involves a Request for Reconsideration and a Disability Hearing. The first thing your Lee's Summit disability attorney will do is file the reconsideration request. It is important to remember, however, that nearly 9 out of 10 of these requests are denied so the part of the appeal process that you and your lawyer will be focusing on is your hearing before the administrative law judge.
Your Lee's Summit disability lawyer will help prepare you for your hearing on both a medical and personal level. He or she will make sure that the judge is presented with all of the evidence needed to approve your disability claim and will advise you regarding what you should expect at this hearing and how you should respond to questions that are asked by the administrative law judge.
While you can technically represent yourself at a disability hearing, statistics show that you are much more likely to be successful in your appeal if you are being represented by a Lee's Summit Social Security Disability attorney. These attorneys know what it takes to win a disability case and they understand what the SSA looks for when deciding whether or not to approve a Social Security Disability claim.
A Lee's Summit disability lawyer can also help disability applicants in the areas of Chillicothe, Gladstone, Independence, Kansas City, Maryville and St. Joseph.
