THE PROCESS...
Most disability applicants should expect to spend about eighteen months waiting for their case to be approved. There are several steps in a disability case. First, an initial application is filed with the local social security office. Social Security checks the record to be certain that you are insured, obtains birth certificates and possibly work re-cords, and requests medical information from your doctors. This process may take up to eight months, and many people are denied at this point. If the initial application is denied, we can request a hearing before an Administrative Law Judge. The judge will then review the entire case, take testimony from the applicant and any other witnesses, and make a decision based on the evidence. Due to delays in the Social Security system, however, it sometimes takes a year or more for the Administration to schedule a hearing. If the application is denied by an Administrative Law Judge, there are further appeals possible, up to and including an appeal to the federal courts.
WHAT A SOCIAL SECURITY DISABILITY CLIENT SHOULD DO...
–You must see a doctor on a regular basis. Disability can only be proved with medical reports. While you may see chiropractors, physical therapists, and clinical social workers for therapy, Social Security does not regard these individuals as doctors. Therefore, you must see a medical doctor, preferably a specialist, about your problem.
–You must provide us with information about your work history for the past 15 years and all medical treatment and evaluation you have received for your disability. You must come into our office to complete forms when we ask you to. You must fill out forms that Social Security sends to you.
–You must advise our office if you return to work of any kind. Some work efforts are encouraged by Social Security and will not hurt your case. We must evaluate each situation individually.
–You must contact us when you receive a decision from Social Security (a denial or an approval of your case) and when you receive your first check. (While Social Security is required to notify us, in approximately 30% of our cases they never send us a copy of what they have sent you.)
–If we do not represent you in your workers’ compensation case, you must provide us with copies of decisions in your case showing the amount of benefits you are receiving.
–You must pay for medical records from your treating doctor at the time we request a hearing on your behalf.
WHAT GREY & GREY DOES...
–If you contact us after you have been disabled for three to six months and you have not filed an application for Social Security Disability benefits, we will prepare and file your application for you.
–If you have been denied in your application for benefits, we will prepare and file your appeal papers for you.
–We will review your file prior to a hearing and ensure that all available necessary medical information is provided to the Administrative Law Judge.
–We will appear at a hearing on your behalf and present your case to the Judge.
–If your application is denied by an Administrative Law Judge, we will work with you to determine whether an appeal is warranted.
–We will check the benefits you receive after a favorable decision to ensure that you are receiving the correct amount and that workers’ compensation offsets have been correctly computed.
–We want to obtain the best possible result for you in your Social Security Disability claim and will work with you to obtain the benefits to which you are entitled.
For more information, contact us.
