Osterhout Berger Disability Law is here for you every step of the way when you’re applying for disability benefits, making an appeal, or are in any other step of the process. If you’re looking for quality legal advice and representation, know that we have years of experience and are here to help you navigate the often confusing process of attaining the disability benefits that you need.
Applying for SSD Benefits
When you decide to make a claim for Social Security disability benefits, there are a few ways that you can begin the process. Namely, you can apply online, go to the Social Security Administration office in your area, or come to us at Osterhout Berger Disability Law so that we can make sure that you complete the application well from the beginning to the end. There are a lot of steps involved in completing a disability claim, and the reality is that most people are denied, but you can optimize your chances of having a successful claim if you choose to make one using our services because we know how to ensure that the information that you submit will give your claim the most chance of success.
One of the first steps that you’ll go through to make a claim for disability benefits through the SSA is to provide information about your medical history and the specific condition for which you’re seeking disability benefits. Among this information, the SSA will also want to know about the specific doctors that you’ve seen and the names of the hospitals where you’ve received treatment regardless of whether you went there for a routine visit or to a hospital that you don’t normally go to because of an emergency. The SSA will also want to know about all of the treatments that you’ve used to try to alleviate the symptoms or remedy the condition. During this part of the process, you’ll need to sign release forms so that the hospitals and clinics are legally allowed to share your medical information.
You might also be required to complete forms about how your symptoms and the condition itself affect your everyday life. For example, if you have a condition like rheumatoid arthritis, the SSA will want to know how it affects your ability to do certain tasks and where you experience pain.
While your doctor might have done a whole battery of tests and provided many types of treatments, it’s still possible that you’ll be required to complete a consultative exam. This type of exam is done by a doctor that the SSA has approved, and it will be used to provide additional information about your condition and how it affects your daily life.
Appealing a Denial
There are times when even the best efforts don’t provide a favorable outcome to your case, but you can appeal the decision. There are several steps in the process that you need to be aware of.
The first step is to find where the Administrative Law Judge could have made a mistake. Osterhout Berger Disability Law keeps up on the latest appeals on the federal court level because this is an area where ALJs sometimes make mistakes. You’ll go to an appeals council at this stage, but you need to remember that the purpose of this process isn’t to show that you have the condition and that it seriously affects your daily life to the point that you can’t work. Rather, the purpose of this stage of the process is to show that the ALJ made a mistake when making a decision on your claim. You should also be aware that you need to file this paperwork within 65 days of a refusal of your claim. This stage can also take anywhere from several months to several several years to receive an answer.
Unfortunately, most of the time, the appeal is denied at this level. The next step that you should consider is taking your case to the federal court. Again, you’ll need to start this process within 65 days of receiving your denial from the Appeals Council.
You should also be aware that during both of these stages of the process, you won’t be able to submit new medical evidence showing that your condition has worsened or that you have a new medical condition will not be accepted at the appeals stage. However, if you can show that there is new evidence that wasn’t available at the time that the ALJ initially made a decision on your case, you might be able to present this information if it’s determined that it’s relevant to your case.
What We Do To Win Your Case
When you’re looking for a way to optimize the likelihood that you’ll get a positive result on the claim for disability insurance that you’re making, working with Osterhout Berger Disability Law is one of the best ways to go because we can help you with a whole list of services. For instance, we can help you by thoroughly explaining the process so that you’re never confused. When you’ve never filed a disability claim with the SSA, it can be difficult how to get all of the paperwork submitted to the right places on time. Failing to do so can damage your chances of getting a favorable outcome, but having someone who has been doing this for years will ensure that you’ll have all of the information and documentation of your condition into the appropriate offices on time. We can help you better understand where you are in the process by keeping you up to date on exactly where you case is headed. We’ll use all forms of communication to do this, including letter, email, phone call, and texts. We can also work with you throughout the process to build the medical evidence with your case to give you the best possible chance of getting a favorable result.
When it comes time for the hearing, you’ll be ready because we’ll fully prepare you for every step of the process by preparing you for the questions that you’ll likely be asked in the hearing. Representing you on the day of the hearing is also of utmost importance because you need someone to take care of the technical details of your case. Plus, we’ll file any necessary paperwork and get the process of an appeal started if you’re initially denied your claim.
What You’ll Need to Do
Because we’ll be working together to create the best possible outcome for your case, there are a few things that we’ll need from you, too. Namely, we need you to be available to us so that we can get answers to questions and your consent on certain documents. There are some things that you’ll need to sign off on, including the release of your medical records to the SSA. We might also need further information from you to keep your appeal moving along quickly and efficiently.
We also need you to comply with your medical treatment. We can help you by reminding you to do it, but we need you to comply because non-compliance can damage your case. When you fail to follow your doctor’s medical advice, it gives off the impression that your condition isn’t that serious, and it can cause the judge to wonder if all avenues for treating your condition have actually been exhausted. For instance, you’ll need to do all of your therapy exercises, take your medications, go to all of your doctor appointments, and anything else that your doctor has told you to do.
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.
