Lakeland Social Security Disability
Thousands of hard-working Lakeland, Florida workers pay Social Security taxes. Each time they earn a paycheck, a portion of that check is taken out to pay for disability and retirement benefits. As such, one would assume that these individuals would be promptly provided with disability benefits should a long-term or permanent disability arise. Unfortunately, that is not the case. In fact, nearly 70 percent of the disability claims that are received by the Social Security Administration each year are denied, resulting in the need for a disability appeal. If you live in the Lakeland, Florida area and are no longer able to work due to a disabling condition, you need to do everything you can to ensure that you will receive the Social Security Disability benefits you may be entitled to. In most cases, this means retaining the services of a Lakeland Social Security Disability attorney.
Lakeland, Florida benefits from a diversified economy with the government, manufacturing and wholesale sectors playing vital roles in the city's economic well-being. Medicine, tourism, insurance and transportation are also growing in importance to the Lakeland economy. The median household income in Lakeland is just above $35,000, which is well below the national average. However, the cost of living in Lakeland is also lower, coming in at 8 percent below the rest of the nation.
Applying for Lakeland Social Security Disability Benefits
Lakeland is home to nearly 100,000 Florida residents. Approximately 4.1 percent of the population of Florida receives Social Security Disability benefits. While the average monthly benefit amount of $1,068.10 that these residents receive can significantly offset the financial stress that can be caused by a disabling condition, most Lakeland Social Security Disability applicants will have to wait well over two years before they see their first disability payment from the Social Security Administration.
Why do Lakeland disability applicants have to wait more than two years before obtaining Social Security Disability payments if the average processing time for an initial disability claim is only three to six months? The lengthy processing times are largely due to the fact that most Lakeland disability applicants are denied benefits during the initial stage of the application process. These applicants must then pursue a disability appeal in order to obtain the disability benefits they need. This appeal usually involves a hearing before an administrative law judge.
The fact that the Social Security Administration is known to deny nearly 70 percent of the claims received each year means that there is a tremendous backlog of disability appeals in the Social Security system. The applicants who are filing these appeals must all wait their turn to have their case heard by an administrative law judge. The office that is in charge of scheduling the disability hearings for the Lakeland area is located in Tampa. It takes this office an average of 682 days just to schedule a hearing for a Lakeland-area disability applicant.
Hiring a Lakeland Disability Attorney
Is there anything that can be done about the extensive processing times and the lengthy waiting periods for a disability hearing? The only way to avoid a disability hearing and to have your disability benefits approved quickly is to have your Social Security Disability claim approved during the initial stage of the application process. In many cases, the services of a Lakeland Social Security Disability lawyer can help.
When you retain the services of a Lakeland Social Security attorney, he or she will review your Social Security Disability case with you. Your lawyer will help you understand exactly what the Social Security Administration will need in order to approve your claim for disability benefits and they will help you gather the evidence that will be necessary to prove your disability to the adjudicator who will be reviewing your file. Your attorney may also help you complete the application paperwork, ensuring that the severity of your condition is apparent and that your paperwork and documents detail how your condition prevents you from performing any type of work activity.
If, for some reason, your initial claim for Social Security Disability benefits is denied, your Lakeland Social Security lawyer can help you throughout the disability appeal process and will represent you at your disability hearing. It will take nearly two years for this hearing to be scheduled. You need to make sure that everything goes smoothly and that the administrative law judge has everything they need in order to approve your appeal and overturn the SSA's decision to deny your Social Security Disability benefits. If you try to represent yourself during this stage of the appeal process, you will actually hurt your chances of a favorable hearing outcome.
If you would like to request a free evaluation of your Social Security Disability case and want to learn more about hiring a Lakeland disability attorney to represent you during your Social Security Disability claim, click here.
