Applying for St. Joseph Social Security Disability Benefits
Due to the recent economic recession thousands of individuals in St. Joseph, Missouri have found it difficult to meet their financial obligations. These financial obligations are even harder on individuals who suffer from any sort of permanent or long-term disablement. Such a disablement hinders the individual’s ability to work. The Social Security Disability benefits provided by the Social Security Administration are designed to aid these individuals in meeting their financial needs. Approximately 30 percent of those who apply for such benefits are denied by the Social Security Administration during the initial stage of the application process.
The vast majority of applicants who are denied must figure out another source of income or must appeal the SSA’s decision to deny benefits. When going through the Social Security Disability appeal process, it is best if you have a St. Joseph Social Security Disability attorney representing your case in order to increase your chances of filing a successful appeal.
As a whole, the economy of Missouri relies heavily on food and chemical processing, the manufacturing of aerospace and other transportation equipment, printing and publishing as well as light manufacturing and electrical equipment. St. Joseph, Missouri is home to about 76,780 people and about 8.5% of these people are unemployed. The average income is about $40,638 though the cost of living is about 16% lower than the national average.
The state of Missouri is home to approximately 133,895 individuals who receive Social Security Disability benefits. In Missouri it can take some applicants up to three years to receive any sort of Social Security Disability benefits. The long process is a direct result of the individual being denied the first time he or she applies for benefits through the SSA.
The long wait may be avoided if the applicant first hires a St. Joseph Social Security Disability lawyer to help them through the initial application process. Hiring a St. Joseph Social Security attorney cannot guarantee your chances of obtaining Social Security benefits, but it can certainly improve your chances, decrease the claim or appeal processing times and possibly help you avoid the Social Security Disability appeal process altogether.
The job of a St. Joseph Social Security lawyer is to go over your Social Security Disability claim with you. Once your claim has been reviewed by your attorney, he or she will inform you as to which program you may qualify for (SSI or SSDI or, in some cases, both). He or she will let also you know what information you must turn over the SSA in order to prove your case. Your St. Joseph disability attorney will also inform you if your medical records provide sufficient evidence to support your disability claim. If you do not have sufficient evidence, your attorney may request that you undergo addition medical testing in order to strengthen your disability case.
Hiring a St. Joseph Disability Attorney
If your initial claim for Social Security Disability benefits is denied, your St. Joseph disability lawyer will represent you through each stage of the disability appeal process. The first stage of appeal is known as the Request for Reconsideration, which can be requested by filling out form SSA-561.
At this point in the process your chances of being awarded disability benefits are minimal. Fewer than 20 percent of reconsideration requests are approved by the SSA. The next stage in the process is the disability hearing, where you have the greatest chance of successfully overturning the SSA’s denial of your Social Security Disability benefits.
At the hearing, your St. Joseph Social Security Disability attorney will do most of the work beforehand and will advise you in regards to what is required for you to win your Social Security Disability case. Statistics show that about two-thirds of the appeals in the Social Security system are won at this stage of the appeal process. If you have a good St. Joseph Social Security attorney and sufficient medical evidence, then your chances of a favorable hearing outcome are significantly increased.
One main concern that people have in hiring a St. Joseph Social Security Disability attorney is that they may not be able to afford the services that they provide. The truth is, the cost of hiring such an attorney is very affordable. These attorneys work on a contingency basis and receive either 25 percent of the back pay that you are awarded or $6,000 (whichever is less). If you are not awarded benefits than your attorney is not paid, therefore it is in your attorney’s best interest to win your disability case.
