Disability benefit programs exist as a safety net for when a disabling medical condition prevents you from working and earning an income. The regulations and procedures you must navigate through in order to apply and be approved for benefits will not stand in your way when you have a Greensboro Social Security disability lawyer from the Clauson Law Firm guiding you through them.
More than 60% of initial applications for Social Security disability benefits result in a denial, but that does not mean that you should give up and stop trying. The founder of Clauson Law, Vaughn S. Clauson, has the distinction of being recognized by the North Carolina Board of Legal Specialization as a specialist in Social Security disability law. He is also a graduate of the United States Air Force Academy and Air Force veteran who welcomes the opportunity to assist other military veterans who need a Greensboro VA disability lawyer.
If you have a disability and believe you may qualify for benefits, we relieve you of the burden and stress of standing in line at the Social Security office Greensboro to file an application for Social Security Disability Insurance or Supplemental Security Income. During a free consultation with our disability lawyer Greensboro NC, we review medical and other eligibility requirements with you and handle everything on your behalf, including:
If necessary to get you the benefits that you deserve, our SSD lawyer Greensboro can take the denial of your claim to federal court where a judge has the authority to overturn decisions made by Social Security on your claim for benefits.
Regardless of what we handle for you, rest assured that Clauson Law makes it a priority to keep you informed with timely updates of the status of your claim. We are there for you at each stage of the claim process with answers to any questions that you have about your claim.
Social Security Disability Insurance and Supplemental Security Income are the two primary sources of disability benefits administered by the Social Security Administration. SSDI provides monthly cash payments and, after you receive benefits for 24 months, Medicare insurance coverage for your medical needs. Benefits may be available for your children and spouse through family benefits under the SSDI program.
To be eligible for SSDI, you must have worked and paid into the Social Security retirement system through payroll taxes or through taxes paid on self-employment income. You must have worked long enough to meet the eligibility requirements depending on the age at which you became disabled. An SSDI lawyer Greensboro will review all of the requirements with you along with the benefits available through the program.
The other requirement to qualify for SSDI is that you have a disability caused by a medically determinable physical or mental impairment that makes it unable for you to engage in substantial gainful activity. The impairment or combination of impairments must be expected to last for at least 12 months or cause you to die. It is a strict standard that can be difficult to meet, so we carefully review your medical history and records for evidence supporting your claim and submit it with the application.
If you do not have a work history allowing you to qualify for SSDI benefits, our SSI lawyer Greensboro reviews your claim to determine whether you qualify for SSI. You must be blind, disabled, or elderly, which means that you are 65 years of age or older, to apply for SSI benefits.
SSI differs from SSDI by not requiring a work history of applicants. However, it imposes very strict income and resource limits. For example, you may only have resources, such as money in the bank, with a total value that does not exceed $2,000. Where both spouses qualify for SSI benefits, their combined resources may not exceed $3,000.
When you qualify for monthly payments through SSI, you also may qualify for coverage of your medical expenses through Medicaid. Medicaid eligibility is automatic in some states when you receive SSI approval, but other states require you to submit a separate Medicaid application.
Federal regulations apply the same definition of disability to applicants for SSDI and for adults applying for SSI. A child on whose behalf an application is submitted for SSI benefits must meet a different definition that focuses on functional limitation rather than an inability to engage in substantial gainful activity, but the requirement that it be permanent and not short term remains.
If your medical condition does not meet the standard to qualify for SSDI or SSI because it is temporary and not permanent, our short term disability lawyer Greensboro, helps you with benefits through an employer's short-term disability insurance. We also assist with federal Family Medical Leave Act benefits that may be available to you.
The Clauson Law Firm wants to give you access to the advice and information needed to make the right decisions when it comes to Social Security, veteran and short-term disability programs without legal fees standing in the way. We offer a free, no-obligation consultation with a disability lawyer Greensboro NC where you get honest answers from someone you can trust.
When it comes time to choose a Greensboro Social Security disability lawyer to represent you, the Clauson Law Firm never charges legal fees unless we are successful in getting you the disability benefits that you deserve. Contact us today to schedule your free consultation to learn more about the difference a seasoned disability lawyer can make.