Evanston Social Security Attorney
A town that approximately 74.400 people call home, Evanston, Illinois sits in Cook County, and is 12 miles north of downtown Chicago. Evanston is home to numerous educational services, healthcare, and social assistance agencies, and many Evanston residents are employed by Northshore University Health System, Saint Francis Hospital, the City of Evanston, and Presbyterian Homes. The median household income for Evanston residents is $69,303 and the cost-of-living is around 33% higher than the average nationwide.
Applying for Evanston Social Security Disability Benefits
If a Evanston worker is unable to work for at least a year due to injury or illness, they may consider applying for Social Security disability benefits. Although thousands of Evanston workers see weekly paycheck deductions for their Social Security taxes, these hardworking Americans may find the process of obtaining these benefits more difficult than anticipated. The fact is that approximately 70% of Social Security disability applications are denied disability benefits.
If a disabled Illinois worker’s application for Social Security disability benefits is denied, they can still pursue their claim by proceeding through the Social Security Administration’s appeal process. After waiting an average of 2-5 months for their initial decision, if they receive a denial they can then file an appeal (called a “Request for Reconsideration”) and will wait anywhere from another 2-4 months for a second decision to be issued. Unfortunately, only 10 percent of claims are approved at this level.
Around 3.8% of all Illinois residents are currently receiving Social Security disability benefits, and their average monthly payment is $1,185. However many of those who are currently receiving benefits likely endured a long wait. If you are disabled and unable to work it can be very difficult to have to wait years before receiving any Social Security disability benefits. You can decrease the chances of that happening by hiring a Evanston Social Security lawyer. An Evanston Social Security disability attorney is familiar with the claims process and knows how to highlight the medical evidence that is most relevant in proving that you’re disabled. They can also do other things such as obtain statements from your doctors, assist you with the reports that the SSA will likely ask you to fill out, and answer your questions along the way.
The majority of Social Security disability applicants who end up receiving benefits have their applications approved at the next level of appeal – their disability hearing in front of an administrative law judge. Unfortunately, it can be two years or more from the date of their initial disability application before this takes place. The office that schedules these hearings for those who are applying for Social Security disability benefits in Evanston is located in Chicago. The average wait for a hearing out of this office is more than a year, at 404 days. It can be very difficult for Evanston, Illinois Social Security disability applicants to live on little or no income while they appeal denials and wait for their hearing. If you’re applying for disability benefits in the Evanston area, hiring a top Evanston Social Security attorney can be increase the chances that your application will be approved without having to proceed through the appeals process. A Evanston disability lawyer can ensure that the Social Security Administration has all relevant records and is properly evaluating your claim.
Hiring an Evanston Disability Attorney
If you do end up having an administrative law judge hearing, retaining a Evanston disability attorney can increase the chances that it will result in a favorable decision. The SSA often hires medical or employment experts to testify at disability hearings and a skilled Evanston disability lawyer can cross-examine these expert witnesses. They can also provide additional testimony regarding your disability, and may be able to submit a brief to the judge explaining exactly how you qualify as disabled. Each case is different, and some administrative law judges approve more claims than others, but a Evanston Social Security disability lawyer can ensure that your case is presented in the most favorable light possible.
Luckily for Evanston disabled workers, it costs nothing upfront to hire a Social Security lawyer in Evanston. Evanston Social Security disability attorneys are paid on a contingency basis, which means that they only receive a fee if you are awarded benefits. If your application isn’t approved, you won’t have to pay. If you are awarded benefits, your Evanston disability attorney will receive a fee equal to 25% of your retroactive benefit payments (up to a maximum of $6,000.)
A Evanston Social Security attorney will also handle disability claims for residents of nearby cities such as South Evanston, Oakton, Howard District, Birchwood, Rogers Park, Wilmette, West Ridge, Gross Point, and Granville Gardens. They will also represent other Cook county residents as well as those in neighboring Will and DuPage counties.
