Tampa Social Security Disability Lawyer
If you have become disabled from working, you may very likely be entitled to receive Social Security Disability (SSD) benefits. These benefits are based on the money you have put into the system over your lifetime of working, and you may think that getting your benefits is a simple matter of applying for them. Surprisingly, nearly two-thirds of all applications for SSD are denied! If this happens to you, don’t despair. The Tampa Social Security Disability lawyers at Barbas, Nuñez, Sanders, Butler & Hovsepian in Tampa can help you when your valid claim for benefits is denied.
Social Security Disability Benefits Explained by Tampa Social Security Disability Lawyers
Social Security Disability Insurance, commonly known as SSD or SSDI, is an insurance-based program meant to provide you with benefits if you become disabled and cannot work any longer. You have been paying premiums for this insurance with every paycheck you have ever received. Think about all the Social Security (FICA) withholding that has been pulled out of your paycheck over the years. Fifteen cents out of every dollar went to SSDI. So why is it so hard to get approved for SSD benefits? Probably in an attempt to keep their costs down, the Social Security Administration maintains very strict definitions for eligibility and interprets them very narrowly. Seek professional representation from the experienced Tampa social security disability lawyers.
How to qualify for SSD
In order to qualify for SSD benefits, your application will have to go through a five-step process at the Social Security Administration, where they evaluate your work history, your age, education, skill levels, and of course your physical and medical condition. In addition, in order to prove that you are disabled for the purpose of receiving SSD benefits, you need to be able to show all of the following:
- You are permanently disabled from working, or you have suffered a significant diminishment in your earning capacity that will last the rest of your life;
- You have medical certification demonstrating that your injury is either permanent or is expected to last for a year or more or result in death; and
- Your earnings history qualifies you to receive SSDI, based on both how long you have worked and when (working five of the past ten years with the required amount of work credits accumulated)
If all of these factors have been met, the Administration then goes through a complicated set of formulas to determine your benefits, based on how much you have paid into the system and taking into account your lifetime average earnings.
This may seem like a daunting process, and it is no wonder so many applications are turned down. However, if you feel like your application was wrongfully denied, you still have many options that we can help you with. For instance, you may be able to pursue any of the following options:
- Request for Reconsideration Hearing
- Request for Appeals Council Review
- File lawsuit in U.S. District Court
- Appeal to U.S. Circuit Court
We can represent you in any of the above proceedings, with the goal of getting your case resolved at the earliest possible stage so you can start to receive benefits as quickly as possible.
Get Help with Your Benefits Application from Experienced Tampa Social Security Disability Lawyers
As noted earlier, the majority of applications for SSD are initially denied. Many people simply give up at this stage. Either they do not know that they can petition for reconsideration or appeal, or they think that there is no point in trying to take on the complicated, frustrating bureaucratic nightmare of the Social Security Administration. Now you know that there are steps you can take, and you know that you will have dedicated, experienced Tampa Social Security Disability lawyers on your side ready to take on the burden of fighting Social Security and working to see that you get the benefits you are entitled to. The process for obtaining SSD benefits can be a lengthy process, so don’t delay any longer. Call 1-800-BARBAS-LAW to speak with an experienced social security disability benefits lawyer in Tampa.
