You may find yourself getting older and developing ailments which keep you from earning a proper living. These are scary times and things we don’t think about when we are younger. When they do happen, we often find ourselves very confused and alarmed.
Luckily there are safety net programs in place that help you stay afloat should you become unable to earn a living. You’ve worked your entire adult life and paid into SSDI or Social Security Disability Insurance. The amount you can qualify for depends on the number of credits you’ve earned. Credits are assigned based on your income and hours worked each year.
There is another option for people who have not worked enough hours to qualify for SSDI. This program is called SSI and stands for Supplemental Income (SSI). This is a needs-based program where they issue you a payment regardless of how many hours your years you have worked.
When to Hire an Attorney
The simple truth of the matter is that you should hire an attorney as soon as possible. Even if you haven’t started the filing process yet, you should consider consulting with a Disability Attorney in your area. They will be able to help you from the very start by making your build a solid and easy to approve case.
The reason this is important is because should you get denied disability, you will need to file an appeal. This can add another year to the process. That’s another year of no extra income. It can be a very serious situation.
Your chances of getting approved on your first application double when using the services of an attorney. Your odds of winning on appeal also double when you retain the services of a professional disability attorney.
Not Like Other Attorneys
Most people only reach out to an attorney when things are already starting to go badly from a legal standpoint. A disability attorney in there to guide from the very start. They make sure your application is properly formatted, and all supporting evidence is presented. They also help you leave out information which may serve to confuse the case worker reviwing your application.
What You Have to Pay Them
Luckily, there are laws in place which put a cap on how much a disability attorney can charge. They are to receive no more than $9200 for the life of the entire case. Not only that, but they are also legally required to only take small payments from each one of your disability checks. Essentially, they don’t see a dime until the money starts flowing to you.
Lawmakers realized that a vulnerable groups of people, like those filing for disability, need to be protected and that there should be a limit to how much lawyers can charge them.
Final Word
If you are considering filing for disability, you would be foolish not at the very least consult with a disability attorney. Just that meeting alone will give you a much better idea of what to expect and how the process will unfold. The sooner you hire an attorney the better.