Pennsylvania Disability (SSDI) Lawyer

Disability benefits from the federal government are not free money. Everyone eligible to receive payments from Social Security Disability paid into the system over their working lives – that means you too. If the pain of an injury or illness prevents you from working for at least a year, you may be entitled to obtain payments from a fund into which you’ve already paid. To take advantage of our more than 25 years of experience handling SSD application matters, contact our law firm today at 1 (609) 755-3115 in New Jersey or (215) 701-6519 if you live in Pennsylvania.

Suffering a serious injury or sudden debilitating illness can rob you of your ability work and earn a steady income. With bills mounting, you may be unsure of you how to continue providing for your family, or how you’re going to keep the roof over your head. If doctors expect your pain to reduce your functional capacity for at least a year, you may be eligible for Social Security Disability benefits. Qualifying for this income isn’t easy, but our law firm has helped thousands of disabled clients obtain the benefits they deserve.

If you’ve been hurt and can no longer work, contact Young, Marr, Mallis & Associates today to get the help you need in applying for Social Security Disability benefits. Our Pennsylvania disability attorneys have more than 25 years of experience assisting the injured and ill. Call today at 1 (609) 755-3115 in New Jersey or (215) 701-6519 in Pennsylvania to schedule an appointment.

Social Security Disability Insurance in Pennsylvania

If you have worked and earned enough work credits, you could be eligible for Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) benefits if you develop a disabling medical condition that prevents you from working. The Social Security Administration (SSA) administers this disability program which is funded by your payroll and self-employment taxes.

To qualify for benefits, you must prove that you have a medical disability that prevents you from working. This condition must have lasted at least twelve months or is expected to end in your death. Our Philadelphia disability benefits lawyers will assist you in gathering the required medical evidence and completing the necessary paperwork. If you have applied and were denied, we are available to file an appeal on your behalf.

First Time Application Approval is Possible

There’s a popular myth about applying for SSD benefits that the Social Security Administration rejects every applicant’s first try no matter what the disease or injury. That’s simply not true. The reason most people suffer a temporary setback with an initial denial of benefits is due to some technical error in their documentation: they did not provide enough information or failed to fill out the stack of complicated forms correctly. Now, they are stuck going through the appeals process, which could take months, when all they had to do was contact our Social Security attorneys in Pennsylvania to put their application together. Here’s what we provide to every client, every time:

• In-Depth Knowledge of the Process– our Delaware County disability benefits lawyers have appeared in front of every judge hearing Social Security Disability appeals in the area. That experience is tremendously valuable when preparing your claim to achieve its best chances for approval.
• Accumulation of Medical Records– we will compile detailed medical records from your doctors on your behalf to ensure your application has as much information as possible to allow examiners to decide eligibility for benefits.
• No Fees Unless We Win– we do not accept fees for our services unless we recover benefits for you. There is zero risk in hiring our firm.

No Fees Unless You Receive Benefits

Obtaining benefits for your disability can seem like an uphill battle, and it is unless you have the right kind of help. You want legal advocates to act in your best interests without regard for their financial benefit to your recovery, and rightfully so. At our firm, we work on a contingency basis, which means we won’t charge you fees for our services unless we can recover benefits on your behalf. If we can’t do our job, there’s no reason we should charge you for the work we didn’t do. Here’s what else you can count on:

• Multiple Offices in the Philadelphia Area– Philadelphia is the fifth largest metropolitan area in the country, and we have several offices throughout the area to accommodate where you live. Just let us know what area works best for you.
• Respect is Our Number One Concern– We do not know how other firms do business, we only know that we treat each client with dignity and respect. You worked all your life to qualify for SSD benefits, and we want to help see that you obtain approval for the benefits you deserve.
• Dedicated Case Preparation– You cannot get what you deserve with incomplete medical records and shoddy application forms. Our legal team combs through your documentation for errors, and fixes them, to make certain a technical error won’t lead to your denial.

Common Mistakes Made When Applying for SSDI

As stated above, the reason many applications are denied is because of avoidable mistakes or omissions. Applying for SSDI benefits can be frustrating, but it is not impossible. Below, we look at some of the most common errors people make – errors that could be avoided by retaining our experienced Upper Darby, PA disability lawyers

Apply for SSDI Benefits While Still Working Full-Time

A common error in timing occurs when an applicant applies for disability benefits while they are still working. While this makes some sense because people do not want to lose income between stopping working and receiving benefits, the SSA will usually deny these claims. If you are engaging in substantial gainful activity (SGA), or earning $1,350 or more, you are not eligible for disability benefits. Additionally, your disability must be expected to last at least twelve months or result in your death. If you are still working when you file your initial application, it will be difficult to demonstrate you have a qualifying medical impairment.

Failing to Apply For Benefits When Working Part-Time

Here is the other side of the working coin. If you are working full-time, your application will likely be denied. However, if you are restricted to part-time work or limited duty, you might not be engaging in substantial gainful activity – even though you are bringing home a paycheck. If you are earning less than $1,350, you should consider starting the application process. Our Allentown disability lawyers will help determine if the level of your employment constitutes SGA.

Applying While Receiving Unemployment Benefits

To qualify for SSDI, you must have a medical condition that prohibits you from working. To receive unemployment compensation, you must be out of work but actively looking for and be available to work. Disability is not for someone who cannot find a job. Unemployment is not for someone who is disabled. This contradiction becomes a problem that will result in your disability claim being denied.

Failing to Complete the Required Forms

The three previous errors all came down to timing. A seasoned Pennsylvania disability lawyer will help you avoid those simple mistakes. The next, very preventable, mistake is failing to properly complete all of the required forms.

Completing a disability application is a time-consuming process. It requires patience, persistence, and minute attention to detail. If you have never gone through the process before, it can feel completely overwhelming. You want to ensure you have completed every required form and that the information is accurate. Furthermore, you must file it on time. Even the slightest error or omission could result in a denial.

Overstating Your Skills, Employment History, or Education

Whether your disability benefits are approved or not depends on your ability to work. If you overstate your skills, education, or work history, you might give the SSA the impression that there are many jobs out there for a person of your talents, despite your medical impairment. An exaggeration might be construed as an ability to work. Our Bucks County disability benefits lawyers will take the time to thoroughly assess your employment history and marketable skills.

Listing Only Your Most Serious Condition

Remember, you are trying to demonstrate that your disability prevents you from working. While you might have one overriding condition, you are probably experiencing other symptoms that impact your ability to work. For example, a person suffering from chronic back pain could also experience overwhelming anxiety and depression. These combined conditions might impair your ability to concentrate or effectively communicate. When preparing your application and supporting medical evidence, you want to include every medical condition. The SSA will review and evaluate the evidence. You should not attempt to simply provide the “highlights.”

Your Medical Condition is Undiagnosed or Lacks Medical Evidence

You want to list all your serious conditions when preparing your disability benefits applications. The SSA will only consider medical conditions that have been diagnosed by a qualified medical professional. In addition, the diagnosis should be accompanied by documentation and medical evidence that support your condition. Our Bensalem disability lawyers will work with you and your healthcare providers to gather the necessary evidence. In many cases, this will include a written statement by your doctor tying all the evidence together.

Auxiliary Benefits

If you qualify for and receive SSDI benefits, you might also be able to provide additional benefits for your family, including your children and spouse. How much your family could receive depends on the amount of taxes you paid into the Social Security system while you were working.
When our Philadelphia disability lawyers prepare your initial application, we will add your spouse and children if necessary. For your spouse to qualify, they must be under 62 years old. Additionally, they must be the co-caregiver of your children who have not reached the age of 16. Even if you are divorced, your ex-spouse could be eligible for benefits if you were married for at least ten years.

For your children to qualify under your SSDI benefits, they must be under 18, unmarried, and in school.

Ease the Turmoil in Your Family

A sudden illness or injury can cause a massive upheaval in your family from the ability to put food on the table or a roof over your head. We understand the pain and anxiety you’re going through because you can no longer work in the way you did prior to your medical condition. Hiring our firm takes the complex application and appeals process off your shoulders – we handle the claim from all sides. We focus on not only the diagnosis, but also how the injury or disease affects your daily activities on a regular basis.

If you’re ready for a law firm to treat you with kindness and respect, call Young, Marr, Mallis & Associates today at 1 (609) 755-3115 in New Jersey or (215) 701-6519 in Pennsylvania for a free evaluation and private review of your claim.