Beaumont Social Security Disability Attorney
Millions of hard-working Texas residents have Social Security taxes taken out of each paycheck they receive under the assumption that Social Security Disability benefits will be there for them if they should ever face a permanent or long-term disability. When the time comes to file a claim for Social Security Disability benefits, however, many of these taxpayers find that actually obtaining disability benefits far more difficult than expected.
The truth is, nearly 70 percent of disability claims are denied by the Social Security Administration during the initial stage of the disability application process. Fortunately, hiring a Beaumont Social Security Disability attorney can help increase your chances of being approved for the benefits you need or, if necessary, filing a successful appeal to overturn the SSA's decision to deny your disability claim.
Beaumont, Texas is the county seat of Jefferson County. Lumber and agriculture have played important roles in the history of Beaumont's economy, but the oil industry is the area's claim to fame. In 1901, the town experienced an oil boom that made Beaumont the home to three major oil companies including Texaco, Gulf Oil, and Exxon. The Magnolia Refinery, also located in Beaumont, was Mobil's largest manufacturing plant by 1980, and had become the area's largest employer. As the petrochemical market became repressed, however, the contribution of the oil industry in Beaumont was not as significant as it once had been. Today the area does flourish from a diversified economy including continued agriculture, oil markets, and the Port of Beaumont, which is the nation's fourth-largest seaport by tonnage.
Beaumont is home to more than 110,000 Texas residents. If the city follows the statistical trends of the State of Texas, approximately 3.4 percent of those residents receive Social Security Disability benefits. The average monthly disability amount in the State of Texas is $1,050.30 per month. While this monthly disability benefit can significantly offset the financial stress caused by a long-term or permanent disability, the majority of Beaumont Social Security Disability applicants will have to wait an average of 412 days before completing the disability claim process.
Applying for Beaumont Social Security Disability Benefits
Because the Social Security Administration approves as few as 30 percent of the initial disability claims received each year, it can take more than a year before most Beaumont disability applicants see their first disability benefit check. The remaining 70 percent of disability applicants must undergo a disability appeal if they hope to receive the benefits they so desperately need. Because of the backlog of appeals in the Social Security system, it will be more than a year before most of these disability applicants are scheduled for a hearing before an administrative law judge. By hiring a Beaumont Social Security lawyer, you can increase your chances of filing a successful Social Security Disability application during the initial stage of the claim process, thereby avoiding the need for a disability appeal.
A Beaumont Social Security lawyer can help you gather all of the acceptable medical evidence that you will need to support your claim for Social Security Disability benefits, as well as help you provide your evidence, along with your application, in a way that will help the Social Security Administration decide in your favor during the initial stage of the Social Security Disability claim process.
If you have already filed an application for Social Security Disability benefits and have been denied, it may not be too late. You have sixty days from the date that the Social Security Administration notifies you of your denial to appeal their decision. If you want the best possible chance of filing a successful appeal, you should have a Beaumont disability attorney representing you throughout the appeal process.
Hiring a Beaumont Disability Attorney
When working with a Beaumont disability lawyer, the first thing he or she will do is go over your disability claim to ensure that you meet the SSA's qualifying criteria. Not only must you suffer from a disability in order to qualify for benefits, but your condition must prevent you from performing any type of substantial gainful work activity and it must be expected to last at least twelve months. If you are applying for SSDI benefits, your attorney will check to make sure that you have earned enough work credits. If insufficient work credits have been earned, your lawyer will see if you meet the criteria for the SSA's Supplemental Security Income program, which is a needs-based disability program based on income rather than work credits.
Once your Beaumont Social Security Disability attorney has all of the information needed to pursue your disability case, he or she will either help you file your initial application or, if your initial application has already been denied, will help you file the paperwork necessary for a disability appeal. The first step of the appeal process is called the Request for Reconsideration. Unfortunately, more than 80 percent of these requests are not granted by the Social Security Administration. The second stage of appeals, which is the disability hearing, is when you have the greatest chance of being awarded disability benefits. During this stage you and your lawyer will be able to plead your case in court before an administrative law judge.
Fortunately, nearly two-thirds of disability hearings are decided in the favor of the disability applicant. This may be due to the fact that most applicants have legal representation during this stage of the appeal process. Statistics show that applicants who are represented by a lawyer at a disability hearing are more likely to be awarded benefits than applicants who represent themselves.
If you are interested in obtaining a free evaluation of your Social Security Disability case or to get more information about hiring a Beaumont Social Security Disability lawyer, click here.
A Beaumont Social Security Disability lawyer will also handle disability claims in the following cities located in Jefferson County, Chambers County, Orange County, Hardin County, and Liberty County: Rose City, Central Gardens, Nederland, Port Neches, Port Arthur, Groves, Winnie, Orange, Vidor, Mauriceville, Lumberton, Kountze, Silsbee, Baytown, Pasadena, and Houston.
