Burbank Social Security Attorney
Many people understand that Social Security Disability benefits are there to help them should they ever suffer from a long-term or permanent disability. What they often do not understand is just how complicated the Social Security Disability claim process is or how long it will take before they ever see their first disability payment. If you are applying for Social Security Disability benefits in the Burbank, California area and you think that your claim will be approved in just a few short months, you may want to think twice. The majority of Burbank disability applicants must wait a year or more before ever seeing their first disability payment. Fortunately, you can increase your chances of receiving benefits sooner and may be able to avoid the headache and complication of a disability appeal with the services of a qualified Burbank Social Security Disability attorney.
Burbank is located in the San Fernando Valley and is home to the second-largest office space market in the area, boasting the highest priced office rents in the region. Burbank businesses are bustling and the city's employers provide more jobs than there are actual residents living in Burbank. The entertainment industry plays a large role in the city's economic well-being as do the telecommunications and Internet sectors. The entertainment industry's presence in Burbank is hard to ignore, with The Walt Disney Company, Nickelodeon, NBC Universal and ABC having headquarters or corporate offices in the city. The median household income for Burbank residents is $69,924.
Applying for Burbank Social Security Disability Benefits
Burbank is home to more than 103,000 residents. More than 8,000 of these residents receive some form of Social Security income. In the State of California, approximately 2.9 percent of the population receive Social Security Disability benefits averaging $1,083.80 per month. While disabled Burbank workers can definitely be helped by this monthly benefit amount, the time that it takes to actual begin receiving Social Security Disability benefits is anything but acceptable. The truth is, it will take the average Burbank disability applicant a total of 449 days to complete the Social Security Disability application process.
Many people do not understand why it takes more than a year for the average disability applicant in Burbank to see their first disability payment. While the initial application process for Social Security Disability benefits only takes three to four months to complete, nearly 70 percent of disability claims are denied by the SSA during the initial stage of the application process. These applicants must then pursue a disability appeal in order to obtain the benefits they may be entitled to.
When an applicant pursues a disability appeal, there are usually two stages involved. These stages include a Request for Reconsideration and a disability hearing before an administrative law judge. It is the hearing stage of the appeal process that results in the significant processing times. These hearings are scheduled by ODAR offices (Office of Disability Adjudication and Review) and the significant number of appeals that these offices have to process has resulted in an extraordinary backlog of disability hearings. The ODAR office in charge of processing the disability hearings for Burbank applicants is located in Pasadena. It takes this office an average of eleven months just to schedule a hearing before an administrative law judge.
What many people don't realize is just how significant an eleven-month wait for a hearing can be. By the time a Social Security Disability applicant requests such a hearing, they are already six to eight months into the claim process, at a minimum. Waiting an additional eleven months for a hearing can wreak financial havoc on a disabled worker. Fortunately, the services of a Burbank Social Security Disability lawyer may be able to help.
Hiring a Burbank Disability Attorney
When you retain the services of a Burbank Social Security attorney your attorney will go over your disability claim with you. He or she will point out any weak spots in your claim and will help you gather the evidence that you will need in order to prove your case to the Social Security Administration. Your Burbank Social Security lawyer will also be able to help you prepare your application paperwork, ensuring that the file is submitted properly and in the best light possible to the Social Security Administration.
If, for some reason, your application for disability benefits is still denied, your Burbank disability attorney will be able to represent you through all stages of the disability appeal process, increasing your chances of a favorable outcome. Statistics show that applicants who retain proper legal representation for a disability appeal are more likely to be awarded benefits than applicants who choose to represent themselves.
Fortunately, the services of a Burbank Social Security lawyer do not have to be cost prohibitive. These professional work on a contingency basis, collecting 25 percent of the back pay that you are awarded by the Social Security Administration. If you do not win your disability case, your lawyer does not collect a fee.
Click here if you would like to request a free evaluation of your Social Security Disability case and to learn more about hiring a Burbank Social Security Disability attorney to represent you in your disability claim.
A Burbank Social Security Disability lawyer will also handle disability claims in the following cities located in Los Angeles County, Orange County, Riverside County, San Bernardino County, Ventura County, and Kern County: Pasadena, Altadena, Arcadia, Glendale, Alhambra, Rosemead, Monterey Park, Los Angeles, Beverly Hills, Hollywood, Culver City, Montebello, Inglewood, South Gate, Huntington Park, Downey, West Covina, and San Fernarndo.
