Brockton Social Security Attorney
The Social Security Administration receives millions of Social Security Disability claims each and every year. These claims are usually submitted by disabled workers who have put in years of hard work and have paid their dues to the Social Security system. It is only natural to believe that the disability benefits they need will be there for them when and if they need them. Unfortunately, that isn't always how the scenario plays out. In fact, nearly 70 percent of the claims that are filed by disabled workers are denied by the Social Security Administration during the initial stage of the application process. If you live in the Brockton, Massachusetts area and are considering an application for Social Security Disability payments, the services of a Brockton Social Security Disability attorney can mean the difference between a denied claim and a successful one.
Brockton benefits from a diverse economy. Most of the area's residents are employed in the extraction, construction, maintenance, production, transportation and material moving occupations. The median household income for the city is $39,507, which is just below the national average. However, the cost of living in Brockton is higher than most of Massachusetts and is considerably higher when compared to the cost of living in the rest of the nation. According to statistics, the cost of living in Brockton is approximately 13 percent higher than the cost of living in Massachusetts on average and it is 31 percent higher than the national average.
Applying for Brockton Social Security Disability Benefits
Brockton is home to nearly 94,000 Massachusetts residents. In the State of Massachusetts, approximately 4.5 percent of the population receives Social Security Disability benefits. The average monthly benefit amount for a Massachusetts Social Security Disability applicant is $1,049.30 per month. While this monthly disability payment can help a disabled worker meet his or her basic living expenses, the fact of the matter is that it takes well over a year for most Brockton disability applicants to see their first payment from the Social Security Administration.
Why do Brockton disability applicants have to wait so long before seeing their first Social Security Disability payment? The extensive waiting periods are due to the fact that most applicants are denied disability benefits during the initial stage of the application process. These applicants must then go on to appeal the SSA's decision to deny their benefits, which results in the need for a disability hearing. The office that is in charge of scheduling these hearings for Brockton residents is located in Boston and it takes this office an average of 387 days to schedule a hearing for a Social Security Disability applicant.
It is important to understand that just because it takes 387 days to schedule a disability hearing, that does not mean that disability applicants who are denied their initial disability claim begin receiving benefits 387 days after they submit their application. The initial application process takes an average of three to six months. Then, when the application is denied, they must undergo a Request for Reconsideration, which is also usually denied. This process takes another three to six months to complete. This means that most disability applicants are already six months to one year into the process before a disability hearing can even be requested. They must then wait more than a year for their day in court and another two to three months after that before they are notified regarding the outcome of their hearing.Many Social Security Disability applicants wonder if there is any way to avoid the disability appeal process and begin receiving benefits in three to six months rather than one to two years. The answer is maybe. Many Social Security Disability applicants may be able to avoid the appeal process by retaining the services of a Brockton Social Security Disability lawyer prior to filing their Social Security Disability claims.
Hiring a Brockton Disability Attorney
A Brockton Social Security attorney can help you prepare your disability application, making sure that it is presented in the best light possible to the Social Security Administration. The professional you work with will ensure that your claim forms are filled out properly and that you provide the SSA with enough medical evidence to support your disability claim. If your application for disability benefits is still denied despite the efforts of your attorney, your Brockton Social Security lawyer can represent you through each stage of your disability appeal.
A Brockton disability attorney will first file a Request for Reconsideration (of which 80 percent are denied) and will then begin preparing for your disability hearing before the administrative law judge. While nearly two-thirds of disability claimants will win their case at the hearing stage of the appeal process, your chances of a successful hearing outcome are greatly increased with proper legal representation.
Once you begin working with a Brockton disability lawyer, he or she will begin to gather all of the medical evidence that will be needed to support your claim for disability benefits. If enough medical evidence is not available, your lawyer may ask that you go for further medical testing and may even retain expert witnesses to testify on your behalf at your hearing. Your lawyer can also help you prepare for your hearing on a personal level, advising you as what to expect, how you should dress, what you will be asked, etc.
You can find out more about hiring a Brockton Social Security Disability attorney and may request a free evaluation of your Social Security Disability case by clicking here.
