FAQs

How can I tell if I am disabled enough to apply for Social Security Disability benefits?

Social Security regulations make it easier to be found disabled as you get older. It becomes easier for some people at age 50, for most people at age 55, and for even more people at age 60. If you’re over age 55 and you cannot do any job you have done in the past 15 years, you should definitely apply. If you’re over age 50 and have a severe impairment that keeps you from doing all but the easiest jobs, you ought to apply.
But even if you’re a younger person, you don’t have to be bedridden in order to be found disabled. If you’re under age 45 or 50 and you cannot do your past jobs and you cannot work full time at any regular job, that ought to be enough.
Nevertheless, being unable to work and being found “disabled” by the Social Security Administration (SSA) are two different things. It is often difficult to convince SSA that someone is “disabled” even when he or she genuinely cannot work. But it is not impossible.
If you really cannot work, apply for disability benefits from SSA. And keep appealing denials at least through the hearing before an administrative law judge. If you lose at a hearing, sometimes a representative with experience handling disability cases can figure out a way to win your case by pursuing the next appeal – to the Appeals Council.

How do I apply for Social Security Disability or SSI benefits?

The Social Security Administration (SSA) offers three ways for you to apply for Social Security Disability benefits: by telephone, in person at a local Social Security office, or via the Internet. If you want to use the Internet to apply, go to socialsecurity.gov/applyfordisability/adult.htm. If you want to apply for SSA’s other disability program — Supplemental Security Income (SSI) — you cannot complete an SSI application online, but you can complete one of the necessary supporting documents, the Adult Disability and Work History Report, on the Internet.
If you want to complete an application for SSI or Social Security disability by telephone or in person, you must first telephone SSA at 1-800-772-1213. If you choose to go to a Social Security office to complete the application, the person at the 800 number above will schedule an appointment for you, give you directions to the Social Security office, and tell you what papers you need to bring along. If you want to apply by phone, you will be given a date and an approximate time to expect a phone call from someone at the Social Security office who will take your application over the phone. The application will then be mailed to you for your signature.

Do you have any advice about applying for disability benefits?

Yes. Give SSA all the information it asks for in a straightforward way. Be truthful. Do not exaggerate or minimize your disability.

Should I contact a representative to help me apply for Social Security Disability or SSI benefits?

As a rule, a person does not need a representative’s help to file the application. SSA makes this part very easy and, in fact, it usually will not let a representative (or anyone else) file the application for you. We can, however, help you file the application, either by internet or by phone, if you are in need of assistance.

What happens if I am denied benefits and I do not appeal within 60 days?

You’ll have to start over with a new application — and it may mean that you’ll lose some back benefits. So it’s important to appeal all denials within 60 days. It’s better if you appeal right away so that you get through the bureaucratic denial system faster. The quicker you can get to the hearing stage the better.

How do I appeal?

Your denial letter will tell you about appealing. The first appeal is called a “reconsideration.” You must request reconsideration and then, after the reconsideration is denied, you must request a hearing within the 60-day time limit.
You can appeal in one of three ways:

1. Telephone the Social Security Administration and make arrangements for your appeal to be handled by phone and mail.

2. Go to the Social Security office to submit your appeal. If you go to the Social Security office, be sure to take along a copy of your denial letter. And be sure that the Social Security representative gives you a signed copy of your appeal paper showing that you appealed on time.

3. Or appeal online at https://secure.ssa.gov/apps6z/iAppeals/ap001.jsp. Be sure to print and retain the receipt for your appeal so that you can prove you appealed on time.  

What are the biggest mistakes people make when trying to get disability benefits?

Failing to appeal. More than half of the people whose applications are denied fail to appeal. Many people who are denied on reconsideration fail to request a hearing.
Another mistake is made by people who fail to obtain appropriate medical care. Some people with long-term chronic medical problems feel that they have not been helped much by doctors. Thus, for the most part, they stop going for treatment. This is a mistake for both medical and legal reasons. First, no one needs good medical care more than those with chronic medical problems. Second, medical treatment records provide the most important evidence of disability in a Social Security case.

Since medical evidence is so important, should I have my doctor write a letter to the Social Security Administration and should I gather medical records and send them to SSA?

Either SSA or your representative will gather your medical records, so you don’t have to do that. Whether you should ask your doctor to write a letter is a hard question. A few people win their cases by having their doctors write letters. The problem is that the medical-legal issues are so complicated in most disability cases that a doctor may inadvertently give SSA the wrong impression. Thus, obtaining medical opinions and letters from doctors may be something best left for your representative to do.

When is the best time for a representative to get involved in my case?

Although we can become involved with your case at any stage, we recommend obtaining help with your claim as early in the process as possible. Oftentimes, important aspects of the case are overlooked at the initial and reconsideration phases, leading to lengthy wait times for hearings. Our goal is to get your claim approved as soon as possible, and that means providing quality representation from start to finish. Having representation early on in the process leads to more favorable outcomes with shorter wait times.

How much do you charge?

There are no upfront costs to you when we take on your case. We charge a “contingent fee,” a fee paid only if we win your case. The fee is 25% (one-quarter) of back benefits, up to a maximum of $6,000. That is, the fee is one-fourth of those benefits that have build up by the time you are found disabled and benefits are paid. No fee comes out of current monthly benefits.
In addition to the fee, there may be some additional costs, such as paying for a special report from your doctor. If this is the case, we will discuss the costs with you.

If I have other questions, will you answer them by telephone?

Yes. If you have additional questions, or would like a free case analysis, please telephone us at (415) 341-5266.