Gilbert Social Security Attorney
Hard-working Gilbert, Arizona residents who face a long-term or permanent disability often suffer serious financial hardships due to their inability to generate income. Disability-related medical expenses only compound the financial crisis experienced by these individuals and their families. Fortunately, Social Security Disability benefits can offset some of the financial stress caused by long-term or permanent disabilities. Unfortunately, 70 percent of disability applicants are denied benefits during the initial stage of the application process. If you want to increase your chances of obtaining disability benefits from the Social Security Administration, you may want to consider retaining the services of a qualified Social Security Disability attorney.
Gilbert, Arizona is located in the Phoenix-metro area. The town is just east of Chandler and south of Mesa. Although farmland and agriculture still play important roles in the economy of the area, the town's economy is more diverse now than it ever has been. The economy of Gilbert is based on five key economic areas including business services, medical services, the aerospace industry, technology research and the electronics industry. The entertainment and retail industries are also playing more important roles in the town's economic well-being as the area develops. Some of the area's largest employers include GoDaddy.com, Banner Gateway Medical Center and Target.
Applying for Gilbert Social Security Disability Benefits
The town of Gilbert is home to nearly 200,000 individuals. In the State of Arizona, there are approximately 3.9 million residents, of which nearly four percent receive Social Security Disability benefits. The average monthly disability benefits payment in the State of Arizona is $1,100.80. It takes the Phoenix-area Social Security office an average of 476 days to process a claim for disability benefits. While the initial application process only takes three to four months to complete, the majority of applicants are denied during this stage of the claim process. These applicants must then appeal the SSA's decision to deny benefits, a process that can take months, if not years, to complete.
Hiring a Gilbert Social Security attorney to represent you in your disability claim can increase your chances of receiving a favorable decision. A Gilbert Social Security lawyer will know what evidence is required to prove your claim to the SSA and will help you present that evidence in such a way that you will most likely receive an approval of your initial disability application. If, for some reason, your initial claim for disability benefits is denied, your Gilbert Social Security lawyer will be able to represent you during the lengthy and complicated disability appeal process.
Hiring a Gilbert Disability Attorney
If your initial claim for disability benefits is denied, the first thing your lawyer will do is file a Request for Reconsideration with the SSA. Unfortunately, the majority of these requests are also denied. In fact, the SSA denies more than 80 percent of the reconsideration requests they receive. That does not mean, however, that your lawyer is not doing his or her job or that you will not be able to obtain benefits in the end.
If your Request for Reconsideration is denied by the SSA, your Gilbert disability attorney will file the paperwork that is required for the next stage of the appeal process. This stage of appeals involves a disability hearing in front of an Administrative Law Judge. The good news is that nearly two-thirds of these hearings are decided in favor of the disability applicants. Your chances of receiving an approval as the result of this hearing are statistically higher with qualified legal representation.
If your hearing does not result in an approval of your disability benefits, your Gilbert disability lawyer may request a review from the SSA's Appeals Council. As with the Request for Reconsideration, the majority of applicants are not awarded benefits at this stage. It is a necessary step to take, however, if you want to take your disability case before the Federal District Court.
If your Gilbert Social Security Disability attorney feels that your case for disability benefits is a strong one, even though it has been denied by the Administrative Law Judge and the SSA's Appeals Council, he or she may choose to appeal your case to the Federal District Court. This can be a very lengthy and time-consuming process, but may indeed result in the approval of your disability benefits. If your disability case has been denied at all other stages of the appeal process, you should discuss pursuing this stage of appeal with your Gilbert Social Security Disability lawyer.
Click here if you are interested in receiving a free evaluation of your Social Security Disability case or to get more information about hiring a Gilbert Social Security attorney.
A Gilbert Social Security Disability lawyer will also handle disability claims in the following cities located in Maricopa County, Pima County, Pinal County, Santa Cruz County, La Paz County, Yuma County, Mojave County, Yavapai County, and Gila County: Chandler, Mesa, Tempe, Phoenix, Scottsdale, Apache Junction, Gold Canyon, Queen Creeks, Sun Lakes, Avondale, Glendale, Goodyear, Peoria, Casa Grande, Coolidge, Maricopa, Sacaton, Cave Creek, New River, Central Heights, Midland City, and Fountain Hills.
