Social Security Disability
Social Security Disability Insurance is designed to provide income to people who are unable to work because of a disability. SSDI is intended to be provided until their condition improves, and is intended to guarantee income if the individual's condition does not improve.If you'd like us to represent your case, please fill out our Social Security Disability questionnaire.
My focus is to first and foremost establish (a) that you are a unique individual with a unique work history and skills and (b) how your disability affects your capacity to do competitive work in the American economy. You should know that Social Security disability insurance is not an entitlement. It is insurance that you paid for via automatic deductions from your payroll checks (in the form of FICA taxes) which is the basis of your monthly benefits.
To be successful in your disability claim before the Administrative Law Judge, you must disclose your medical record and employment history in full detail. Going before an Administrative Law Judge can be a daunting experience for many claimants.
In my experience, clients are often nervous and unable to express themselves in a coherent manner at the hearing. The pain you are experiencing from your injury can significantly affect your ability to concentrate. Additionally, if you have a mental or psychological challenge you may find it difficult to explain your situation to the Administrative Law Judge. Therefore, it is extremely important that we prepare for our day in court well beforehand.
As your attorney I will ensure that the Administrative Law Judge is thoroughly informed of your all your limitations. The first step in this process is for you to spend sufficient time with me so I can understand your work history and the extent of your disability. Together will explore how this impairment affects your ability to perform your previous job.
Helping you navigate the 5 step process of a disability hearing is my duty. I will help you to convey your unique story and your unique medical condition to the Judge. To do this, we must work together in developing your story so we can make the judge understand (1) why you cannot do your past work as you once performed it and (2) why you cannot do your past work as it is normally performed in the national economy. The task of the commissioner is to now prove that there is other work you can perform which exists in significant numbers in the national economy. In order to do this, the Judge will rely on the testimony of a vocational expert.
This is where our development time together will pay off because I will know the details of your prior work and whether you have skills that are transferable to the job that the vocational expert proposes. By knowing the exact skills requirements of this job, as set out in the dictionary of occupational terms, I will be able to show why your disability precludes you from performing the proposed job. If we are successful in showing you cannot do other work on a competitive basis, then the Judge should make a finding that you are disabled and award benefits.
As you consider whether you may think that you and I will make a good team together, I encourage you to research the disability rights of a claimant, your work skills, and your medical & psychological disabilities.