Until you find yourself in need of Social Security Disability benefits, you probably don't really consider the value of a disability attorney or what these professionals can really do for you. You also probably don't spend much time considering the process that it takes in order for an individual to qualify for Social Security Disability payments.
Unfortunately, when someone does suddenly face a long-term or permanent disability and is no longer able to work, they become all too familiar with just how complicated it can be to obtain the Social Security Disability benefits that they need in order to make ends meet. In fact, estimates indicate that only about 30 percent of the applicants who file disability claims with the SSA are approved during the initial stage of the application process.
The remaining 70 percent of applicants must go on to file a disability appeal. If you live in the Meridian area and you want to increase your chances of being awarded the disability benefits you are entitled to or want to increase your chances of overturning the SSA's decision to deny your disability claim, you need to consider the services of a Meridian Social Security Disability attorney.
Meridian’s economy is founded by the education, government and insurance sectors. Blue Cross of Idaho and the state police academy are based out of the city. The Idaho State Police is also headquartered in the City of Meridian. The median household income in Meridian is just over $60,000 whereas the cost of living index is only 3 percent higher than the national average.
Applying for Meridian Social Security Disability Benefits
Meridian is home to nearly 35,000 Idaho residents. In the State of Idaho approximately 25,000 individuals receive Social Security Disability Insurance or Supplemental Security Income. The average monthly disability payment for an Idaho resident is $938.00 per month. While this amount can help with an individual's basic needs, the fact that it takes most Meridian residents nearly two years or more before seeing their first disability payment is rather concerning.
Why does it take a Meridian Social Security Disability applicant so long to receive disability payments from the Social Security Administration? This is largely due to the fact that the majority of disability claims are denied by the SSA. These applicants must then file an appeal in order to overturn the SSA's decision. This process has resulted in a significant backlog of claims, and as each new applicant is denied and a new appeal is filed, that backlog becomes larger. This results in a wait of months or even years before being scheduled for a disability hearing before an Administrative Law Judge, which is the most important stage of the disability appeal process.
The office that is in charge of scheduling the disability hearings for Meridian residents is located in Denver, Colorado. It takes this office an average of 456 days to schedule a disability hearing before an ALJ. Once the hearing has been conducted, the applicant will have to wait another 60 to 90 days to find out whether or not the hearing was decided in their favor.
Hiring a Meridian Disability Attorney
If you would like to avoid the headaches that can be caused by an appeal, you need to consider the services of a Meridian Social Security attorney. These professionals help you prepare your Social Security Disability claim, reviewing your condition with you and ensuring that you are providing the SSA with sufficient medical evidence to support your claim. This will help you present your application in the best light possible, which will thereby increase your chances of a favorable decision during the initial stage of the disability claim process.
If, for some reason, your initial application is denied by the Social Security Administration, a Meridian Social Security lawyer can represent you through each stage of the disability appeal process. The first stage of appeals is referred to as a Request for Reconsideration. This stage is usually just a formality since nearly 90 percent of these requests are denied by the SSA. You must, however, file this request if you wish to reach the second stage of the appeal process, which is a disability hearing before an ALJ.
The good news is that nearly two-thirds of disability hearings are decided in the favor of the disability applicant. However, those odds will vary depending on your hearing strategy and the judge who is overseeing your case. Some judges have higher award ratios than others, but you can ensure that you have the best possible chance of success by having legal representation at the hearing with you. Statistics show that disability applicants who choose to represent themselves at a disability hearing are much less likely to be awarded benefits than those who go in with proper legal representation.
