Appleton Social Security Attorney
All of the hard-working Wisconsin residents who live and work in Appleton realize that there deductions that are taken out of every single one of their paychecks. They also know that a portion of these deductions go to the state and to the federal government and a portion goes to the Social Security system. Most individuals do not worry about getting the Social Security benefits that they have paid for until they are ready to retire. There are, however, situations in which circumstances arise that result in the need for a worker to claim benefits from the Social Security Administration prior to retirement age. This usually is the case when a taxpayer faces a long-term or permanent disability that prevents them from continuing their employment activities. Unfortunately, actually obtaining the disability benefits that these workers have paid for is not as easy as one might assume. In fact, if you are in need of Social Security Disability benefits in the Appleton, Wisconsin area, you may want to consider consulting with an Appleton Social Security Disability attorney before you apply for the disability benefits you need.
Appleton’s economy is diverse. The city’s economic health relies on a number of industries including the finance, publishing, health, government, packaging and business service sectors. Some of Appleton’s largest employers include Thrivent Financial for Lutherans, the Appleton Area School District, Appleton Papers, St. Elizabeth Hospital, Appleton Medical Center, Outagamie County, West Business Services and Valley Packaging Industries. The median household income in the City of Appleton is approximately $51,000. The annual cost of living in the city is approximately 7 percent lower than the national average.
Appleton is home to nearly 70,000 Wisconsin residents. In the State of Wisconsin, approximately 100,000 residents receive Social Security Disability benefits. The average payment that a Social Security Disability applicant receives is approximately $1,000 per month, although this can be higher or lower depending on the number of dependents that an applicant has and how much money they had earned during their work history. These monthly benefit payments can significantly offset some of the financial hardships that can be caused by a long-term or permanent disability, however the truth is that it will take most Appleton disability applicants well over a year to see their first disability payment from the Social Security Administration.
Applying for Appleton Social Security Disability Benefits
Why does it take so long for Appleton Social Security Disability applicants to begin receiving disability payments when the initial application process should only take three to six months to complete? The extensive processing times are due to the fact that the majority of disability claims are denied by the Social Security Administration during the initial stage of the application process. These applicants must then add their appeal to the more than 750,000 disability cases that are already backlogged in the Social Security system.
When an Appleton disability applicant is denied disability claim, they usually have to attend a disability hearing in order to overturn the SSA's decision to deny their disability payments. The office that is in charge of scheduling these disability hearings for Appleton disability applicants is located in Milwaukee. It takes this office an average of 512 days to schedule a disability hearing from the date that a request for such a hearing is filed. Once that hearing has been conducted, it takes an Appleton disability applicant another two to three months to be notified regarding the outcome of that hearing.
If you want to avoid the need for a disability hearing and have your disability benefits approved in a matter of months, your best bet is to work with an Appleton Social Security Disability lawyer. These professionals can help you in the preparation of your Social Security Disability claim, ensuring that you fill out all of your application paperwork properly and provide the SSA with the medical evidence that will be needed to prove your disability to the adjudicator who will be reviewing your file.
Hiring an Appleton Social Security Disability Attorney
If, for some reason, your application for benefits is still denied (or if you were denied benefits because you failed to retain the services of an Appleton Social Security attorney prior to filing your claim), there is still hope. An Appleton Social Security lawyer can represent you through each stage of the disability appeal process, increasing your chances of successfully overturning the SSA's decision to deny your disability benefits.
The first stage of a disability appeal is called a Request for Reconsideration. Your attorney will have to file this request within 60 days of your denial of benefits. It is important to remember, however, that this request will more than likely be denied. In fact, fewer than 20 percent of reconsideration requests are granted by the Social Security Administration. Once this request has been denied by the SSA, you and your lawyer will be able to request a disability hearing before an administrative law judge.
The good news is that nearly two-thirds of disability cases are decided in favor of the disability applicant when heard by an administrative law judge. However, your chances of your particular case being won depend on your hearing strategy and the administrative law judge who your case is assigned to. You will definitely want an Appleton disability attorney working on this hearing for you. Statistics show that applicants who attend a hearing with proper legal representation are much more likely to be awarded benefits than applicants who choose to represent themselves.
If you are interested in obtaining a free evaluation of your Social Security Disability case or to get more information about hiring an Appleton Social Security Disability attorney to assist you in your disability claim, click here.
