At Osterhout Berger Disability Law, we’re here to help you through the entire process of filing a disability claim with the Social Security Administration and appealing the claim if the decision isn’t in your favor. We can also help you through the whole process of appealing the decision. The process of making a claim and trying to appeal a denial takes a lot of time and can be very difficult to understand at times. As a result, many claims are turned down because the applicant doesn’t have enough information or misses something in the process. We can help you with your claim because we have decades of experience and know-how the process works. We’re honored to serve the residents of Hollidaysburg that need our help securing the benefits they deserve.
Applying for SSD Benefits
In the process of applying for disability benefits from the Social Security Administration, there are three main ways that you can start your claim. Getting started with Social Security paperwork is the first step. You can go to your local Social Security office and start filling out paperwork there in person. In the second option, you can fill out the paperwork on the web. Finally, you can retain the help of the expert team at Osterhout Berger Disability Law and have us assist in the process. You don’t have to hire a lawyer when applying for disability benefits. It’s possible to get a good result without consulting a disability lawyer, but it’s very easy to miss a deadline because you don’t know how the process works. We can help get your claim started, and will work to make sure that your paperwork is complete so that your chances of getting your claim approved are as high as they can be.
To get Social Security benefits, you have to give the SSA a lot of information when you file a claim. For example, you’ll need to list all of your doctors and the places where they work. You also need to tell your doctor if you’ve been to a hospital where you’ve gotten treatment even though your regular doctor doesn’t work there. You’ll also need to fill out release forms so that the hospitals or clinics where you go can legally give your medical records to other people, like your doctor or nurse.
In addition to giving medical information, you also need to explain how your condition affects your life and how you can do your job. If you have to have a medical consultation, you should be ready for it. These are generally when a doctor chosen by the Social Security Administration looks at you and provides an opinion on your condition. They might want to do more tests to learn more about your condition and how it affects you, so they can better understand how it does or does not impact your ability to work.
Appealing a Denial
Despite your best efforts, you might not be able to get your claim to be accepted. For example, if you applied on your own, you might have missed a step. In these instances, we would likely advise making a new claim with the help of one of our attorneys. Even then, it’s still possible that the initial claim is turned down. At this point, appealing the decision is the most likely course of action.
First, you’ll try the request for consideration. There are four ways to make an appeal, and this is the first one you’ll try. After that, you might progress to the appeal with the administrative law judge. Your appeal can also go all the way to the Appeals Council, which is the appeal system that is below the Social Security Administration. Finally, some people have cases that go all the way to the federal court.
To make a claim, you have to explain why you’re unable to do your job and how that affects you. The appeal process isn’t about your condition at all. To be clear, instead, the appeal process is for you to try to show that the administrative law judge did something wrong when they looked at your claim. This may seem like a slight difference, but it has a big impact on how the appeals process works. You will likely not talk about your health during the Appeals Council process, but it is possible. As long as there is new information about your condition that was not available when the administrative law judge last looked at your case, you might be able to talk about how it has changed since then.
When you’re going through the appeals process, it’s essential to keep in mind that there are specific deadlines that you need to meet in order to keep going. Most of the time, you have 65 days after your claim was turned down to appeal. You should also be aware that appeals from the Appeals Council can take a few months to a few years, and most of the time, they don’t work out in your favor.
What We Do To Win Your Case
As your legal team, we’ll do our best to make sure your claim has the best chance of being approved. If we are not successful on the initial application, we’ll do everything we can to make sure you have a good outcome through the appeals process. There are several key things we’ll do to help.
First, we’ll keep in touch with you to make sure you know what’s going on with your case. The first time you go through a claim and appeal process, it can be hard to figure out what to do, so we’ll let you know what’s going on with your claim or appeal by email and phone call, text, and letter when it makes sense.
We’ll also help you build your case. Forms and documents about your health are important to get from the Social Security Administration if you want them to make a good decision about your case. As a law firm, we work with our clients to make sure that all of the evidence is put together on time so that the claim can move quickly and you have the best chance of getting a reasonable settlement.
Being prepared for the hearing is essential, and we understand that it can be daunting to present your case before a judge. On the day of the hearing, we make sure that you know what to say.
We take care of all of the technical aspects of your case, too. Talking to the judge about technical words that you don’t fully understand is rattling. As your lawyer, we’ll talk to the judge on your behalf when we’re at your hearing. You don’t have to worry about it.
Filing appeals when they become required is also an essential task that we’ll take on as it comes. Again, starting the appeals process on time is essential when you want to enhance the chances that you’ll have a favorable result.
What You’ll Need To Do
When filing a claim or appeal, we’ll need you to help us out in a few ways. For example, there are a lot of times when we will need to get your permission to see your medical records, or we might need another piece of information from you. For the process to go smoothly, we need to get our phone calls, emails, and texts answered quickly.
We’ll also want you to follow the medical treatments that your doctor has told you to do. This includes taking medicine, going to therapy, and making changes in your lifestyle that your doctor tells you to do. When you don’t follow the rules, it gives the impression that your condition isn’t that bad. Because your case will be hurt if you don’t attend all of your medical appointments, we also need you to go to them.
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.
