Pasadena is the second largest city in Harris County, Texas, behind Houston. The population is slightly above 150,000. The economy of Pasadena, like much of the Galveston Bay area, is closely tied to oil exploration and the oil industry in general.
Whereas most cities of this size have professional firefighters, Pasadena is protected by an all volunteer fire department. As a matter of fact, they maintain the largest volunteer fire department in the entire United States.
Agriculture became very important to the local economy around the turn of the 20th Century, and remains significant in the economic landscape today. Pasadena is one of the country’s major fruit producing regions, and is particularly known for its strawberry production.
Oil was discovered in the area in the early part of the last century, and has been the most significant industry in the area since the early 1920s, though there is also plenty of other heavy industry in the area. NASA’s Johnson Space Center is also a major employer in Pasadena, as is the petrochemical industry. In recent years, high tech industry has made its presence felt in the city as well, leading to a fairly well balanced, albeit industrial, economy.
The presence of heavy industry, and especially the oil industry, which is known for some of the country’s most hazardous occupations, lends to the 22% of the population with a disability. Only about 56% of disabled Pasadena residents are able to continue with gainful employment of one sort or another, leaving a significant number who aren’t able to do so.
Applying for Pasadena Social Security Disability Benefits
If you live in the Pasadena area and find yourself unable to work because of a disability, you may qualify for Social Security Disability benefits. For an honest and complimentary review of your potential disability claim, contact a Pasadena Social Security Disability attorney.
While you are entitled to represent yourself for your disability claim if you so choose, the fact that a Pasadena disability attorneys will not charge you anything unless your claim is approved and that your chances of having your claim accepted improve markedly when you are represented by a Pasadena Social Security Disability lawyer make it wise to seek representation and legal counsel.
There are several steps to the SSA’s disability application and appeals process. The first step, of course, is to make a claim. While your chances of having your initial claim do improve when you are represented by a Pasadena disability lawyer, the majority of individuals are declined disability benefits at this stage.
This doesn’t mean that you won’t be able to collect Social Security disability benefits. It simply means you need to offer more proof of why your disability should qualify you as being completely disabled. Medical proof can be obtained at one of the many medical resources available in Pasadena. A Pasadena Social Security attorney will be thoroughly familiar with the kinds of evidence the SSA is looking for and can help you to build a strong and convincing disability claim.
If your case is denied, your next step is to request a reconsideration. These are usually denied, though if you didn’t already have a Pasadena Social Security Disability attorney, you may want to consider consulting one at this stage, as they may be able to identify a missing piece of information the SSA needs before they can approve your application for disability benefits.
For more on disability benefits in Texas, see our page on How To Qualify For Disability Benefits In Texas.
Hiring a Pasadena Disability Attorney
Following the SSA’s redetermination, you can request a hearing with an Administrative Law Judge (ALJ). This stage of the process presents you with your one opportunity to present your case in person before a living and breathing human being who will look you in the eye and listen to you actually tell how your disability has affected you.
In the event that you are still denied disability benefits after the hearing, you will definitely wish to retain the services of a disability attorney if you plan to pursue the matter further. The ALJ’s decision will automatically be reviewed, but these reviews seldom result in the ALJ’s decision being overturned in your favor, and most disability cases which are pursued beyond this point end up in federal court.
A Pasadena Social Security Disability lawyer will also handle disability claims in the following cities located in Harris County, Fort Bend County, Montgomery County, Galveston County, Chambers County, Liberty County, Waller County, and San Jacinto County:Galena Park, Pasedena, Cloverleaf, Laporte, Channelview, Jacinto City, Baytown, Hunters Creek Village, Bellaire, Missouri City, Deer Park, Mission Bend, LaPorte, Aldine, Katy, Seabrook, Pearland, League City, Baytown, and Humble.
