Thousands of Palm Coast, Florida residents pay taxes to the government’s Social Security program. These taxes are taken directly out of each paycheck these residents receive. As a result, these hard-working taxpayers assume that Social Security Disability benefits will be there for them if they need them.
After all, if you pay for these benefits, shouldn’t these benefits be there for you when you need them? Unfortunately, these things don’t always work the way they should. The truth is that nearly 70 percent of the initial claims received each year are denied disability by the Social Security Administration.
What happens when these applicants are denied benefits? They must pursue the lengthy and complex disability appeal process – a process that can take more than two years to complete. The question is, can anything be done to increase your chances of being approved for the disability benefits you need? In many cases, the services of a Palm Coast Social Security Disability attorney can help.
The economy of Palm Coast is supported by a variety of companies located throughout the many industrial parks of the town. The largest employer in these industrial parks is Palm Coast Data, employing nearly 1,000 area residents. The unemployment rate in Palm Coast Florida is much higher than the national average, coming in at nearly 15 percent.
The median household income is also higher than the national average, however, coming in at $49,339 per year. Even though the median household income in Palm Coast is higher than the national average, the annual cost of living index comes in at nearly 7 percent below the national average.
Applying for Palm Coast Social Security Disability Benefits
There are more than 25,000 Florida residents living in Palm Coast. In the State of Florida, approximately 376,000 individuals receive Social Security Disability benefits. The average monthly disability benefit in the United States is $1,070.70 per month. While this disability benefit can significantly help offset some of the financial stress caused by a disabling condition, the truth is that most Palm Coast disability applicants will wait more than a year before receiving their first payment from the Social Security Administration.
This is largely due to the fact that the majority of initial applications are denied by the Social Security Administration. This results in the need for a disability appeal, which usually involves a hearing before an administrative law judge. Because the administrative law judges who work for the Social Security Administration can only handle so many cases each day, there is a significant backlog of appeals in the Social Security system. As a result, it can take a Palm Coast lawyer more than a year before ever getting their day in court.
Hiring a Palm Coast Disability Attorney
When it takes more than a year to receive your day in court and have your case heard before an administrative law judge, it is crucial that everything go perfectly when the day arrives. The last thing you want to do is wait over a year, make a mistake at your hearing and then have your benefits denied. This is why it is so important to hire a Palm Coast Social Security attorney in order to increase your chances of a favorable hearing outcome.
What exactly will a Palm Coast Social Security lawyer do to help you in your disability case? A Palm City disability attorney will help you gather the information that is necessary to file a successful claim for Social Security Disability benefits. He or she will also help you present your application to the Social Security Administration in the best light possible. If your initial application for disability benefits is denied by the Social Security Administration, a Palm Coast disability lawyer can help you file a successful Social Security Disability appeal in order to obtain the benefits that you need.
If your application for Social Security Disability benefits has already been denied, it is crucial that you understand that time is of the essence. You need to contact a Palm Coast Social Security Disability attorney as soon as possible if you want to appeal the SSA's decision to deny your benefits.
You only have 60 days from the date the Social Security Administration's denial of disability benefits to file an appeal. You will want to give your lawyer as much time as possible to gather the medical evidence that will be necessary to support your disability case and submit the proper paperwork to the Social Security Administration.
When hiring a Palm Coast Social Security Disability attorney, the first thing your lawyer will do is determine whether or not you meet the SSA's qualifying criteria. Your lawyer will discuss your work history and the details of your disabling condition with you. After your Palm Coast Social Security Disability lawyer has reviewed your claim for benefits, they will decide which program you may qualify for (SSDI, SSI or both).
Once your attorney has the information that will be needed to pursue your disability case, they will file the necessary appeal paperwork with the Social Security Administration. The first stage of appeals is called a Request for Reconsideration. It is important that you understand that the majority of appeals are denied at this stage of the appeal process.
What you and your lawyer will really be focusing on is the hearing stage of the appeal process. Nearly two-thirds of appeals are decided in favor of the disability applicant at the hearing stage. Your chances of a successful hearing outcome are significantly increased when you are represented by a Palm Coast disability attorney.
