Alhambra Social Security Attorney
Unless you find yourself in need of Social Security Disability benefits, the benefits of a Social Security Disability attorney probably haven't crossed your mind. Individuals who haven't faced long-term or permanent disabilities also usually don't consider the process necessary in order to begin receiving disability payments from the Social Security Administration. Unfortunately, when a disability does strike, the complexities of a Social Security Disability case become all too clear and the need for a Social Security Disability lawyer arises. If you live in the Alhambra area and are considering a claim for Social Security Disability benefits, you may not want to pursue that claim without first obtaining the services of a qualified Alhambra Social Security Disability attorney. An Alhambra Social Security Disability lawyer can increase your chances of being awarded benefits during the initial stage of the application process or, if necessary, filing a successful appeal.
Alhambra benefits from a diverse and interesting economic base. The city is home to local icon, “The Hat”, which is an outdoor restaurant that eventually turned into a Southern California chain of eateries. Alhambra is also home to The Alhambra Office Complex, which houses offices for a number of companies. Some of Alhambra's top employers include the Los Angeles County Department of Public Works, the Alhambra Unified School District, Costco, Target, Alhambra Hospital and the County of Los Angeles. The city's median household income comes in at $52,075 per year while the cost of living index is a whopping 41 percent above the national average.
Applying for Alhambra Social Security Disability Benefits
Alhambra is home to nearly 90,000 California residents. In the State of California, about 2.9 percent of the population receives Social Security Disability Insurance or Supplemental Security Income. The average monthly disability payment for a California resident is $1,083.80 per month. While this amount can provide significant assistance to an individual who is unable to earn an income, the fact of the matter is that it takes most Alhambra residents two years or more before seeing their first disability payment from the Social Security Administration.
Why does it take so long for an Alhambra Social Security Disability applicant to begin receiving payments from the Social Security Administration? The long wait times are largely due to the significant backlog of disability appeals currently in the Social Security system. The SSA denies approximately 70 percent of the claims that it receives each year. This results in the majority of these applicants filing an appeal in order to overturn the SSA's decision to deny their disability benefits. As each appeal is filed, the appeal backlog becomes larger.
Currently, the office that is in charge of scheduling disability hearings for Alhambra applicants has a wait time of 449 days for a disability hearing to be scheduled. Unfortunately, it takes another two to three months after the date of the hearing for the disability claimant to discover whether or not they were approved for benefits as a result of that hearing. It goes without saying that the stress of waiting such long periods of time without financial assistance can be overwhelming.
Hiring a Alhambra Disability Attorney
Many Social Security Disability applicants want to avoid the headaches and stress that are associated with a lengthy disability appeal. If you are one of them, your best bet is to retain the services of a qualified Alhambra Social Security Disability attorney. These professionals understand what the SSA looks for in a disability claim. The attorney you work with will be able to help you fill out your claim forms properly, ensure that you have enough medical evidence to document your disability and will help you present your disability application in the best light possible.
If the SSA decides to deny your claim for disability benefits despite the efforts of your Alhambra Social Security lawyer, you can then pursue the disability appeal process in order to overturn the decision. Your lawyer will already be familiar with your disability case and will be able to represent you through each stage of your disability appeal.
The first thing your Alhambra disability attorney will do is file a Request for Reconsideration. This request will likely be denied, however, since the SSA approves fewer than 20 percent of the reconsideration requests that it receives each year. Because of this, you and your attorney will be focusing on the hearing stage of the disability appeal process.
While you can technically represent yourself at your disability hearing, it is not in your best interests to do so. It is true that nearly two-thirds of disability applicants are awarded benefits as a result of their hearing, but it is also true that your chances of being among the winners significantly drop without proper legal representation.
An Alhambra disability attorney can also help disability applicants in the areas of El Monte, Glendale, Glendora, Pasadena and West Covina.
Simply fill out the evaluation form if you would like to request a free evaluation of your Social Security Disability claim and to learn more about hiring an Alhambra disability lawyer to represent you in your Social Security Disability case.
