When looking for the best professionals to assist you with your Social Security disability claim, contact Osterhout Berger Disability Law. We are a law firm that genuinely cares about your needs and takes pleasure in helping the customers we serve in the Altoona, PA region.
Applying for SSD Benefits
When filing for Social Security benefits through the Social Security Administration, there are a number of processes that must be followed in order to maximize your chances of receiving a favorable response. Additionally, you may initiate the procedure in a variety of ways. For instance, you may opt to begin the claim process by visiting your local Social Security Administration office or begin the procedure online. Alternatively, you may start by contacting Osterhout Berger Disability Law so that we can assist you throughout the process. When you are not legally needed to have an attorney represent you while filing a claim or appealing, there are so many people who do not obtain benefits when they file a claim that receiving assistance from one of our expert lawyers may be quite advantageous.
While beginning the process of filing a claim might be intimidating; we can help ensure that the entire process goes as easily as possible. To begin your claim, you’ll need to give some general information and paperwork. For example, you’ll need to start by providing a summary of your medical concerns and a list of all of your physicians, along with the hospital or clinic where you visited them. Additionally, you’ll need to supply medical authorizations and a summary of how your condition impacts your life and capacity to work.
Specific individuals will also be needed to attend a consultation exam. This sort of examination is conducted by a doctor chosen by the Social Security Administration, and it is used to learn more about your disease and how it affects you. The Social Security Administration will request this examination only after they have gathered all of your previous medical information.
Appealing a Denial
We’re experienced in social security disability cases, including appeals. Around 65% of disability claims are denied in the first instance and require an appeal. Since most claims don’t immediately receive approval, you can significantly increase your chances of a successful claim by having an expert social security disability lawyer on hand to deal with your appeal.
There’s always a chance that you’ll find that you have to go through the appeals process even if you have expert representation. There are two different types of appeal, via the Appeals Council and the Federal Court.
First, you’d go to the Appeals Council. The council is the only one associated with the SSA; if the Appeals Council denies your claim, you’ll be allowed to take your claim to the federal court.
It’s crucial to note that appealing a denial differs from making your claim; when you make a claim, you can go to a hearing to testify about your condition and how it affects how you work and live. But when you go through the appeals process, the purpose isn’t to ascertain eligibility or whether or not you’re disabled – you need to prove that the ALJ made a mistake.
It may seem like these two things are similar, but they’re different. When you appeal, you won’t be given an opportunity to discuss your disability unless you’ve got new information or evidence that wasn’t available at the time of your claim hearing.
When you’re appealing to the Appeals Council, you’ll have 65 days from the time of your denied claim to make your appeal. Additionally, if you’re unsuccessful at the Appeals Council, you can take your appeal to the Federal Court. For this, you’ll also have 65 days to appeal the denial. While it can be disheartening to undergo a Federal Court appeal, these appeals are treated seriously.
At Osterhout Berger Disability Law, we’re passionately committed to helping our clients secure the social security benefits they’re entitled to, no matter the stage you come to us at.
What We Do to Win Your Case
We’re committed to ensuring a favorable outcome for all of our clients; we’ll ensure that you’re kept informed throughout the process because we know it can be a struggle to understand every part of the process. It can be very overwhelming for you. We’ll communicate conveniently for you; we can contact you by phone, email, text, or mail to send information and documents to you.
We know that there are many stages to this process, and they’re easy to understand for professionals like us who do it all the time, but it’s confusing and nerve-wracking for those who aren’t used to it, so we try to simplify it in a way that makes sense to our clients.
If you’re concerned about how to best present your evidence to the judge, know that we’ll build the case for you. We’ll help you gather all of the evidence you need and work with you to remind you of your medical treatment plan; we’ll also check-in for medical updates to ensure we have the most recent, accurate information.
When building a case based on medical evidence, you must hand all crucial evidence to the judge before the hearing. We’ll work with you to ensure the necessary documents are submitted to the judge with plenty of time to spare.
If you’re nervous about the hearing, know that we deal with these cases all of the time and can guide you through the process. We can guide you through the process and any questions you’re likely to be asked, ensuring you have time to prepare your answers and gain confidence before the hearing. This reduces the risk of harming your case because you were flustered by a question you hadn’t thought of in advance.
Most crucially, we’ll represent you on the day of the hearing so you can be confident that you won’t lose your claim because you didn’t understand legal jargon. We’ll also support filing an appeal for you right away if your original claim is unsuccessful.
What You’ll Need To Do
When you work with us, there are some things we need you to do to ensure the process is as smooth as possible. Firstly, you should always remain contactable and keep your contact information up to date to allow us to get in touch with any queries, updates, or other necessary contacts.
It’s advisable to comply with the treatment plan prescribed by your doctor. You should also take all of your prescribed medications, attend your appointments, take any tests offered to you, and do any therapy that you’ve been told you need. When you don’t do this, you’re sending a message that your condition isn’t as serious as it appears.
How We Can Help
There are several ways in which the team at Osterhout Berger Disability Law can help you receive the benefit you deserve. We help individuals who need to…
- Apply for Social Security Benefits and want to ensure everything is done right the first time
- Appeal a denial of Social Security Disability Benefits
If you are facing one of these situations, please do not hesitate in reaching out. Our team of experienced attorneys are here to help, and your consultation is free.
