This year alone the Social Security Administration is expected to receive more than three million claims for Social Security Disability benefits. Many of these claims will be submitted by disabled Lynn, Massachusetts workers who have put in years of hard work and paid their dues to the Social Security Administration. It isn't unreasonable for these workers to believe that the disability benefits they have been promised will be there for them when a need arises.
Unfortunately, the situation doesn't always work out as planned. In fact, nearly 70 percent of initial disability claims are rejected by the Social Security Administration, resulting in the need for a disability appeal. To make matters worse, it can take years for a disabled worker to complete the disability appeal process. If you live in the Lynn, Massachusetts area and are considering an application for Social Security Disability benefits, the services of a Lynn Social Security Disability attorney may mean the the difference between a denied disability claim and an approved one.
It is no secret that Lynn has seen some significant hardships and severe economic setbacks in recent history. In the late 70s and early 80s the city was home to several large fires that decimated a number of downtown buildings. The area's high crime rate has kept new business opportunities at bay and job growth in the city has been nonexistent.
However, there are some businesses who have braved the area's troubled times and have contributed to the city's economic well being. Some of the businesses that help the economy of Lynn include General Electric Aviation, the West Lynn Creamery, Old Neighborhood Foods and Lynn Manufacturing.
Applying for Lynn Social Security Disability Benefits
Lynn is home to more than 90,000 Massachusetts residents. In the State of Massachusetts, approximately 4.5 percent of the population receives Social Security Disability benefits. The average monthly benefit amount for a Massachusetts Social Security Disability recipient is $1,049.30. While this monthly disability payment can definitely offset some of the financial stress caused by a disabling condition, the truth is that it takes most Lynn Social Security Disability applicants well over a year before seeing their first benefit check from the Social Security Administration.
Why do Lynn Social Security Disability applicants have to wait so long to see disability payments come in? The waiting times are largely due to the fact that most disability applicants are denied their benefits during the initial stage of the Social Security Disability application process. These applicants must then undergo the lengthy and complex disability appeal process in order to obtain the benefits they need.
The average disability appeal consists of a Request for Reconsideration and a disability hearing. The office that is in charge of scheduling the hearings for Lynn disability applicants is located in Boston. It takes this office an average of 387 days to schedule a hearing for a Social Security Disability applicant.
Unfortunately, the 387-day wait time for a disability hearing is not indicative of the total wait time that a Lynn disability applicant must endure. First, the applicant must file the initial claim, which takes three to six months to complete. Then the applicant must file a reconsideration request, which takes another three to six months to complete.
It is at that point that the applicant can request a disability hearing, for which they will wait more than a year. Two to three months after the hearing has been completed, the applicant will be notified regarding whether or not they were awarded the benefits they had been fighting for.
Hiring a Lynn Disability Attorney
If you would like to increase your chances of receiving disability benefits during the initial stage of the application process, you should consider retaining the services of a Lynn Social Security Disability lawyer. These professionals can help you prepare your disability claim forms, ensuring that everything is filled out properly and that you furnish the SSA with all of the medical evidence needed to prove your case to the Social Security Administration by filling out the Social Security Disability Medical Authorization form. This will increase your chance of receiving an approval during the initial application process, thereby reducing the wait for benefits to a few months rather than a year or more.
If, for some reason, your initial claim for disability benefits is denied, your Lynn Social Security attorney can assist you throughout each stage of your disability appeal. The first thing your attorney will do is submit a Request for Reconsideration. Chances are that this request will be denied, but is the step that must be taken before you can request a disability hearing.
The good news is that most applicants are awarded disability benefits as a result of their disability hearing. However, don't assume that you do not need an attorney because of this fact. Statistics show that applicants who attend their disability hearing with proper legal representation are much more likely to be awarded benefits than applicants who choose to represent themselves.
A Lynn disability attorney can also help disability applicants in the areas of Boston, Brockton, Chelsea, Dorchester, Falmouth, Fitchburg, Framingham, Gardner, Hanover, Haverhill, Hyannis, Lawrence, Lowell, Malden, Norwood, Quincy, Roslindale, Salem, Somerville and Waltham.
