Allentown, PA Disability (SSDI) Lawyer

If you are unable to earn a living because you have become permanently disabled from an accident, illness or mental disability, you should not have to fight for the benefits you are entitled to. Unfortunately, the federal government’s process for getting benefits is slow and frustrating. Paperwork and deadlines can be difficult to cope with if you truly do suffer from a disability.

Young, Marr, Mallis & Associates has been successfully helping clients in Allentown and the Lehigh Valley with the process of filing for Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) coverage for decades. We have represented thousands of claimants during that time who have successfully obtained Social Security benefits. If you are disabled and live in the Allentown area, contact our law offices today to schedule a free, no obligations consultation on your disability case. Our lawyers can help you file your claim for benefits or fight denials and appeals. To schedule your free legal consult, call us today at (215) 515-2954.

What is Social Security Disability Coverage?

The Social Security Disability Insurance program is the largest of several federal programs that provide assistance to people with disabilities. The Social Security Administration (SSA) operates the SSDI program to help individuals who have a disability that meets the criteria for benefits.
“Disability” under Social Security rules is based on your inability to work. The government considers you “disabled” if you meet the following qualifications:

• Your injury or condition prevents you from working,
• The government decides that you cannot adjust to other work because of your medical condition, and
• Your disability has lasted or is expected to last for at least one year or to result in death.

SSDI pays benefits to you and certain members of your family if you are “insured,” meaning that you worked long enough and paid your Social Security/FICA taxes along the way. Those without a work history may not qualify for SSDI, but they could qualify under other disability programs. Talk to a lawyer to see whether you qualify for benefits.

These benefits can help you and your family by providing ongoing payments to help support yourself. In addition to these benefits, your family may be able to claim an additional 50-80% of your benefits to help support them while your condition prevents you from working.

When deciding if your injury is severe enough to qualify you as “disabled,” the SSA looks at a few factors. First, the SSA only considers disabilities that will last longer than one year or are expected to end in your death. They do not typically consider temporary or short-term disabilities for benefits. Second, the condition must keep you from working and earning a living wage. If you are still able to work part-time or have other income and earn more than $1,180 per month ($1,970 if you are blind), then you may not qualify for benefits.

Third, the SSA typically only considers benefits for disabilities they approve. The SSA keeps a “Listing of Impairments” that includes 14 broad categories of mental and physical injuries and illnesses and hundreds of specific conditions. If your condition is not on this list, you may still qualify, but it is important to talk to an attorney about how to prove that your injury is severe enough to receive benefits.

Social Security Benefits for Family Members in Allentown

As mentioned, the SSA may pay additional benefits to your family while you receive benefits. These benefits are typically a fraction of the benefits you receive, limited at a maximum total of 50-80% of your benefits. Your spouse and children can receive these benefits as part of your disability benefits.
If you are not disabled but your spouse or child faces an injury or illness that prevents them from working, they may be able to qualify for benefits on your employment record. Typically, people with little to no work experience may not qualify for SSDI benefits, but your immediate family members may be able to use your record to get the help they need.

If your spouse qualifies for disability benefits, they can use your record if they do not have enough “work credits.” Even after a divorce or the death of a spouse, a disabled spouse may still qualify using the other spouse’s record, under certain circumstances.

If your child became disabled before the age of 22, they may qualify for disability benefits on your record. To qualify, the child must still meet the SSA’s definition of “disabled” and must still have a severe disability that prevents them from working. The definitions of disabilities are different for adults and children, so adult children under 22 may use different standards than minor children. These benefits can continue as long as the disability lasts and as long as your child remains unmarried. If your child gets married while receiving benefits on your record, the SSA expects that they would use their spouse’s record instead.

Using your record to help support a family member can be confusing. Talk to an attorney about what kinds of family benefits you may be entitled to on your work record.

Our Allentown Disability Lawyers Offer Free Consultations on Disability Application Cases

Trying to face the uphill battle of applying for disability benefits on your own can hurt your case. The Allentown disability attorneys at Young, Marr, Mallis & Associates have experience filing disability applications for our clients and fighting to get them the benefits they need to support themselves and their families. Call one of our attorneys today and let us focus on getting you benefits so you can focus on your health. Call our law offices today at (215) 515-2954 to set up a free consultation.