Each time a hard-working Upland, California resident receives a paycheck from his or her employer, that employee pays taxes to the government. Some taxes go to the state while other taxes go to federal taxes. Some of these taxes are Social Security taxes, which pay for benefits that are provided by the Social Security system.
Because Social Security Disability Insurance or Supplemental Security Income are some of the benefits that the Social Security Administration offers, these workers often assume that disability benefits will be provided by the SSA if they should ever face a long-term or permanent disability. Unfortunately, the Social Security Administration does not always pay these benefits easily.
In fact, more often than not, a disability applicant must fight to obtain the disability benefits that he or she is entitled to. The truth is, nearly 70 percent of Upland disability applicants are denied when they first submit a claim to the Social Security Administration. If you are applying for disability benefits in the Upland, California area, an Upland Social Security Disability lawyer may mean the difference between a fast and hassle-free approval of your benefits or a long and drawn out disability appeal.
About Upland, California
The city of Upland benefits from a diverse economic foundation. The major players in Upland’s economy include the health, education, insurance, retail and government sectors. Some of Upland’s most prominent employers include San Antonio Community Hospital, Upland Unified School District, Kohl’s, Insurance Agency Network, the City of Upland, Wal-Mart and The Home Depot.
The median household income in Upland is more than $65,000. The cost of living index for the city comes in at 17.6 above the national average.
Upland is home to more than 70,000 California residents. In the State of California, approximately 2.9 percent of the population receives Social Security Disability benefits. The average disability payment that is given to a disabled worker in California is approximately $1,083.80 per month.
While this monthly benefit can definitely help with the financial struggles that are faced by many disabled workers, the truth is that most California Social Security Disability applicants will wait nearly two years before receiving their first payment from the Social Security Administration.
Disability Benefits in Upland, California
Why does it take an Upland, California Social Security Disability applicant so long to receive their first disability payment from the Social Security Administration? The extensive claim processing times are due to the fact that the SSA denies approximately 70 percent of the initial claims that it receives each year.
The applicants who are denied benefits during the initial stage of the application process must then pursue a long and complicated Social Security Disability appeal. This appeal process usually consists of two stages which include a Request for Reconsideration and a disability hearing (which is conducted before an Administrative Law Judge). Because there are a limited number of judges working for the Social Security Administration and because these judges can only hear so many disability cases, it takes the ODAR offices in charge of scheduling these hearings well over a year to get a disability applicant in front of an Administrative Law Judge.
The office that is in charge of scheduling the hearings for Upland is located in Downey, California. On average, it takes this office approximately 426 days to schedule a disability hearing. It is important to remember that this time frame does not include the amount of time that it takes the applicant to file his or her initial disability claim or to pursue a Request for Reconsideration. To make matters worse, once the hearing date has been scheduled and the hearing has been conducted, it still takes the disability applicant another two to three months to be notified regarding the outcome of the hearing.
If you want to avoid the frustration of pursing a long and drawn-out disability appeal, you will want to consider retaining the services of a qualified Upland Social Security Disability lawyer. These professionals can help you prepare your disability claim properly, gathering all of the objective medical evidence that you will need in order to prove your case to the Social Security Administration.
This will increase your chances of receiving an approval from the SSA during the initial stage of the application process, thereby reducing the chance that you will have to endure the frustrating experience of waiting for a disability hearing.
If you do need to pursue a Social Security Disability appeal, an Upland Social Security attorney is your best chance of success. While nearly two-thirds of disability hearings are decided in the favor of the disability applicant, your chances of actually winning your appeal will vary depending on a number of different factors. These factors can include the medical evidence and expert testimony you are able to obtain, the strategy of your hearing, the laws that pertain to your case and the ALJ who is assigned to your disability hearing.
Some judges have higher award ratios than others. Because the appeal process is very complex and a hearing involves issues of law that an attorney is experienced in, you need to carefully consider a decision to represent yourself during this stage of the appeal process and you must understand that doing so can hurt your chances of a successful appeal outcome.
For more on disability benefits in California, see How To Qualify For Disability In California.
