Bend Social Security Attorney
Bend is the largest city in Central Oregon, with a population of over 76,000. A growing community that sits at the foothills of the Cascade Mountains, Bend is known for its prominent outdoor-sports scene and history as a logging town. The area’s top employers include St. Charles Medical Center, Bright Wood Corporation, and Les Schwab Tire Centers. The cost of living is in Bend is nearly 20% higher than the national average, and the median household income is $40,857. Currently, approximately 4.3% of Oregon’s population receives Social Security Disability benefits, with an average monthly payment of $1,141. Although Oregon does have a slightly-higher-than-average percentage of Social Security Disability recipients, many of those currently receiving benefits likely endured a long, stressful wait, before they ever saw a benefit check.
That’s because the Social Security Administration (SSA) denies the applications of approximately 70% of the disabled workers who apply for Social Security Disability Insurance or Supplemental Security Income. Some of these denied claimants were likely represented, but many who were not could have possibly seen a different outcome had they retained the services of an experienced Social Security Disability attorney. If you’re applying for benefits in the Bend, Oregon area, it can be a very smart decision to hire a Bend disability lawyer at the very beginning of the disability application process.
When a denial is received, the claimant can file an appeal, which is called a Request for Reconsideration. If this decision is also a denial, the next step in the Social Security appeals process is to file a Request for Administrative Law Judge Hearing. Although the majority of disability hearings turn out in the claimant’s favor, the wait for a hearing can be very long. The SSA office that schedules these hearings for Bend, Oregon disability applicants is located in Eugene, Oregon. The average wait for a hearing out of this office is one of the highest in the nation, at 453 days. This doesn’t even include the three to seven months that it took for the initial and reconsideration level decisions to be made. It can be very stressful and frustrating for a disabled worker to survive on little or no income while going through this lengthy process.
It’s very important to be well-prepared when you do get your turn in front of the judge. This is your chance to explain first-hand why you’re unable to work, and a Bend disability attorney can help prepare you to state your case in the most efficient manner possible. It’s also important to present the judge with relevant objective evidence, such as medical records. A Bend Social Security lawyer is experienced in reviewing medical records and can highlight any entries that could increase the chances that the judge will find will in your favor. The SSA has a specific definition of “disabled,” and a knowledgeable Bend Social Security attorney knows how to use the evidence in your file to demonstrate how you meet this criteria.
Money is understandably a top consideration for many Bend disability applicants. The good news is that there’s no upfront cost to hire a Bend, Oregon disability attorney. Bend Social Security lawyers are paid on a contingent fee basis, meaning that they are only paid in the event that you’re awarded benefits (and if you’re claim isn’t granted, they don’t get paid). If you are awarded benefits, their fee will be equal to 25% of your back benefits, up to $6,000.
A Bend, Oregon, Social Security Disability lawyer will also handle claims for those residing in DeSchutes, Crook, Jefferson, Lane, Lake and Klamath counties, and nearby cities such as Redmond, Springfield, Lebanon, Eugene, Albany, Corvallis, Hayesville, Salem, Keizer, and Woodburn.
