At Osterhout Berger Disability Law, we’re here whenever you need someone to help you with your Social Security Administration disability claim. Our attorneys have a combined experience of over 50 years, and we’ve helped thousands of people obtain the SSA disability benefits that they applied for, and we’re happy to help applicants in Clearfield.
Applying For SSD Benefits
When you need to apply for SSA disability benefits, there are a few options in terms of starting the process. You need to fill out a form and hand in several pieces of evidence, which can vary depending on your condition. It’s convenient to start the process of filling out an application online from your own home, but the downside is that you don’t get the benefit of someone to talk to about your questions. Another option is to go to the SSA office near you to start filling out the application, which will give you access to people who are somewhat familiar with the process. The problem with this option is that the people at the SSA office won’t be invested in helping you win your claim, and they won’t take the time to understand your condition. A third option is to come to us at Osterhout Berger Disability Law. We have attorneys who are invested in helping you get a win your claim, and they have the knowledge to make it happen.
Applying for disability benefits will also require that you submit a number of pieces of evidence, including a list off all of the doctors that you’ve seen and medical facilities that you’ve been to for your condition. You also need to provide information on how your condition affects your everyday life, including your ability to go to work.
While not everyone will have to go to one, there are some people who will be asked to attend a consultative exam, which is a doctor’s appointment that’s administered by a doctor of the SSA’s choosing. This exam is used to get more information about your condition and how it affects your everyday life. It might require that you undergo more tests, or you might simply have to answer some questions. Regardless, if you’re asked to go to one of these exams, you must attend to continue to be considered for disability benefits.
Appealing a Denial
If you don’t get a positive result with your claim, you still have the option of appealing your denial, and we at Osterhout Berger Disability Law can help you with this process. When you appeal, you have 65 days from the time of the denial to get the appeal process rolling. There’s the Appeals Council and the federal court level that you can appeal at, but you have to start with the Appeals Council, which is the only level of appeal that’s run by the Social Security Administration.
When you start with an appeal, your goal is to show that there was a mistake made by the Administrative Law Judge (ALJ) when they processed your claim. There are a number of reasons why a mistake might have been made, but one of them is that the ALJ didn’t apply a recent federal court ruling to your case when the ALJ should have. If there was a ruling on a case that’s similar to yours, this might be a time when the ruling on your case could be affected.
It’s important to understand the difference between showing that you have a condition and showing that the ALJ made a mistake when originally processing your claim. When you try to win a claim, you’ll bring forth a lot of evidence that shows that you have a condition and that this condition affects your ability to go to work to a great enough extent that you need disability benefits. When you appeal a denial, you usually won’t be bringing forth any more evidence. Instead, you’ll be showing that the ALJ missed something important. You might also make an appeal if there was a recent change to the Blue Book that affects your case, and in this instance, you might submit more evidence.
If you aren’t successful at the Appeals Council level, you might be eligible to make an appeal before the federal district court. Again, you’ll have 65 days from the time that you’re denied your initial appeal to appeal again. While it’s uncommon to receive an outcome in your favor at this level, you can be certain that your case will be taken seriously.
What We Do To Win Your Case
When it’s time for you to file a claim and you choose to work with Osterhout Berger Disability Law, there are a few things that you can expect. First of all, you can be certain that we’ll communicate with you about the process of filing a claim at the beginning so that you can have an overview of what you can expect throughout the process. We’ll also answer any questions that you have about the process at any point. Understanding what’s going on in your case specifically is probably at the top of your mind, and we can explain to you what’s going on through email, text, phone call, and regular mail.
We’ll work with you throughout the process to build your case with medical evidence. We’ll help you fill out the paperwork and understand where it needs to go so that you get it back in time before your hearing date, and we’ll ensure that everything is submitted in plenty of time. We’ll also remind you to continue to go to the medical appointments and do your treatments so that your claim is taken seriously.
The hearing is the step that makes most applicants the most nervous, but you can rest easy when you work with us because we’ll get you ready for the hearing by asking you questions that you’ll likely be asked. This way, we can help you get your answers ready ahead of time.
We’ll also represent you on the day of the hearing so that you’re never struggling with the process or wondering if you missed something because you didn’t understand the legal wording. Finally, if you need to make an appeal, we’ll get started on it right away so that you don’t have to worry about whether or not you’ll get your appeal in on time.
What We Need You To Do
While we do everything in our power to make the process as simple as possible for you, there are some things that only you can do, and we need quick responses from you when we try to contact you. For example, one of the most important things that only you can do is fill out the paperwork that allows medical facilities to release your medical records to the judge. If you don’t fill these forms out within a reasonable timeframe, there won’t be a way to guarantee that the judge will have them in time to review them.
We also need you to continue to go to your medical appointments and continue to do your physical therapy, take your medication, and do any other things that are prescribed to you by your doctor. If you fail to do these things, it sends a couple of negative messages. First of all, the ALJ might conclude that you might get better if you actually follow your treatment plan. Secondly, it sends the message that you’re not actually as sick or hurt as you say.
What You’ll Need To Do
When we file a claim or appeal, there are a few things that we’ll need you to do to make the entire process go smoothly. First of all, you need to be available so that we can fulfill all of the paperwork that we need you to fill out. There are many times that we will need to give your consent to have your medical records released, or we might need another piece of information. Answering our phone calls, emails, and texts in a timely manner is integral to having the process go smoothly.
Additionally, we’ll also need you to comply with the medical treatments that have been prescribed by your doctor. This includes taking medications, going to therapy, and complying with lifestyle changes that your doctors prescribe. When you don’t comply, it gives off the impression that your condition isn’t that serious. We also need you to go to all medical appointments so that your case isn’t hurt by your lack of compliance.
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.
