Social Security Disability Claims
San Francisco Bay Area Injury Attorney
If you are unable to earn a living due a physical or mental impairment, you may qualify for Social Security Disability (SSD) benefits. There is no age requirement to qualify for SSD, but you do have to have a qualifying disability. The SSD process can be difficult and most claims are denied the first time around. Working with an SSD attorney can greatly increase your chance of receiving SSD benefits and help you get your money faster. Please, call our Bay Area SSD attorney today to learn more.
General Requirements for Eligibility
I order to qualify for SSD benefits you must have a disability which is expected to last at least one year or expected to be fatal. Your disability must prevent you from doing the work that you did before and from adjusting to other work.
The Social Security Administration (SSA) maintains a list of medical conditions which automatically qualify. If your condition is not on the list, you may still qualify, but you’ll need to prove that your disability interferes with your ability to work.
Certain diseases and medical conditions fall under Compassionate Allowances (CAL), created to help people get help quickly. Examples of CAL conditions include acute leukemia, Lou Gehrig’s disease (ALS), early-onset Alzheimer’s, and pancreatic cancer.
Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) vs. Supplemental Security Income (SSI)
SSDI is for people who have worked and paid FICA taxes. It is actually an insurance program that you paid into when you were paying your taxes. It is not public assistance. To qualify for SSDI, you must have a minimum number of work credits with Social Security. The exact number depends on several factors including your age.
SSDI is not based on financial need. Your income and assets do not affect your ability to receive SSDI.
SSI is a form of public assistance and is “needs based”. Your income and assets will affect eligibility. However, SSI eligibility is not based on if or how much you have worked and paid in taxes.
Our SSD attorney can help you determine which type of disability benefits you can claim, and are here to help you through the process so that you can receive the maximum amount and start collecting the benefits you need as soon as possible,
If you are considering a Social Security Disability claim, or if your claim has been denied, in the San Francisco Bay Area, please call our Bay Area SSD attorney at 1-800-930-3039 or contact us online. The initial consultation with a Bay Area SSD attorney is free of charge, and if we agree to handle your case, in most cases we will work on a contingency fee basis, which means we get paid for our services only if there is a monetary recovery of funds.