To qualify for social security disability in Montgomery, you need to be able to prove to the Social Security Administration (SSA) that you have suffered an injury which prevents you from being gainfully employed for at least one year.
When you apply for benefits, your local SSA field office will review your application to ensure you meet income and work credit requirements. After that, your application is sent to the Alabama Disability Determination Services, a federally-funded state department charged with the responsibility of reviewing medical documentation to determine the eligibility of new SSD applications. The DDS makes determinations on your case by using your medical records to assess the severity of your disability. A panel of disability specialists and medical professionals will look for information that documents your disability claim and offers information on how quickly you will be able to recover from your injury if it is not a permanent disability. If there is sufficient information in your medical file to support your Montgomery social security disability claim, the DDS may recommend that your case is awarded. If there is not sufficient evidence, the claim may be denied.
The U.S. Social Security Administration reports that only about 30% of the initial social security disability claims filed in the state of Alabama are awarded. If you apply for social security disability and your initial claim is denied, you can appeal the decision and ask the SSA for reconsideration. If your appeal is also denied, you do have the right to request that your case be heard before an administration law judge (ALJ). The Montgomery hearing office awarded nearly half of the Montgomery social security disability cases heard in the fourth quarter of 2011.
Montgomery Health Resources
You should get medical attention for your disability as soon as you are injured. Your medical records play an integral role in your Montgomery social security disability determination. If you cannot afford regular treatment, there are several free and reduced-cost health care facilities in Montgomery that may be of service to you.
Montgomery Primary Health Care Center
3060 Mobile Highway
Montgomery, AL, 36108
(334) 293-6670
Baptist Health
2105 East South Boulevard
Montgomery, AL, 36116
(334) 288-2100
Chisolm Family Health Care Center School Affiliated Clinic
307 East Vandiver Boulevard
Montgomery, AL, 36110
(334) 832-4338
Medical Outreach Ministry Family Health Center
88 West South Blvd
Montgomery, AL, 36105
(334) 281-8008
Montgomery Area Community Wellness Coalition
3060 Mobile Highway
Montgomery, AL, 36108
(334) 293-6504
Montgomery Mental Health Resources
If you are suffering from a mental health issue that prevents you from getting and keeping gainful employment, you may qualify for social security disability in Montgomery but you will need to have your illness and treatment program documented by a mental health professional. Contact the Montgomery Area Mental Health Authority, Inc at (334) 279-7830.
Montgomery Supplemental Social Security Benefits
The monthly Federal social security disability benefit rate is $943 for an independent individual and $1,415 for a couple.
Getting Help from a Montgomery Social Security Disability Attorney
Currently, the length of time it takes to process a social security disability claim from the time you request an appeal hearing in front of a Montgomery ALJ to the time your case is actually decided takes, on average, 407 days. Most people don’t choose to hire an attorney until after their initial claim has been denied and they have to start the appeals process. You have the right to hire a Montgomery social security disability attorney at any point during the SSD determination process. Many attorneys only charge you if they are able to win your case for you. If your attorney wins, a standard fee of 25% of your award is collected from past due benefits or through a fee petition. The maximum amount your attorney can collect for representing you in a Montgomery SSD case is $6,000. If you are interested in obtaining an evaluation of your Social Security Disability case, click the link at the top of the page for your free case evaluation or to get more information about hiring a Montgomery disability attorney.
