Medford Social Security Attorney
Each and every year nearly three million Americans apply for Social Security Disability benefits. These individuals are often facing significant financial hardship. Because they are unable to work or generate an income, the bills begin to pile up out of control. Medical expenses that are related to the disability only add to the financial stress. To make matters worse, the majority of Social Security Disability applicants are denied disability in the initial stage of the application process. In fact, statistics show that approximately 70 percent of initial applications for disability benefits are denied by the Social Security Administration. If you live in the Medford area and are applying for disability benefits through the Social Security Administration, you may want to consider hiring a Medford Social Security attorney to increase your chances of receiving the disability benefits you need to survive.
The health care industry plays the leading role in Medford’s economic well-being, although the retail and agriculture sectors also play significant roles. Harry and David Operations Corp. is one of the area’s leading employers with nearly 7,000 seasonal employees in the Medford area. Lithia Motors, Providence Medford Medical Center and Pacific International Enterprises also employ a large number of Medford-area residents. The median household income in Medford is approximately $52,000. The annual cost of living in the city is 11 percent higher than the national average.
Oregon is home to more than 2.4 million residents. Of these residents, approximately 93,000 receive Social Security benefits. The average Social Security Disability payment in the State of Oregon is $1,067.50 per month. Even though the initial application process for Social Security Disability benefits is only three to four months, it takes an average of 456 days for Medford residents to obtain a disability hearing. This does not include the 3 to 6 months that it takes to complete the initial application process and the 3 to 6 months that it takes to complete the reconsideration request stage of appeals.
Applying for Medford Social Security Disability Benefits
If you live in the Medford area and have suffered a disability, you may be wondering whether or not you qualify for Social Security Disability benefits. If you are going to apply for disability benefits through the Social Security Administration, you should consider retaining the services of a Medford Social Security lawyer in order to improve your chances of a successful application for benefits or, if necessary, a successful disability appeal.
A Medford Social Security Disability attorney can help you prepare your claim for Social Security Disability benefits, gathering all of the information and evidence that will be necessary in order to prove your disability to the Social Security Administration. If your initial application is denied, your Medford Social Security Disability lawyer will help you file an appeal and will represent you during each stage of the Social Security Disability appeal process.
If you are denied benefits during the initial stage of the disability application process, your Medford disability attorney will need to file a request for reconsideration. Unfortunately, more than 80 percent of appeals are denied at this stage of the appeal process. This means that your lawyer will likely have to request a hearing in front of an administrative law judge if you hope to successfully overturn the SSA’s decision to deny your disability claim. If you have not yet hired a Medford disability lawyer to represent you at the hearing stage of the appeal process, now is the time to do so. Your chances of receiving a favorable decision as a result of your disability hearing are greatly increased with legal representation.
Hiring a Medford Disability Attorney
The disability appeal process can take years and the turnaround time in Medford is worse than many other areas of the United States. Hiring a Medford Social Security attorney to represent you in your appeal may increase your chances of winning your appeal. Your Portland Social Security lawyer will help you file timely appeals and will gather all of the evidence that you will need in order to prove your disability to the Social Security Administration. Fortunately, nearly two-thirds of disability applicants will be awarded benefits at the hearing stage of the appeal process. It is important to remember, however, that your chances of a favorable hearing outcome are significantly increased with proper legal representation.
Medford disability attorneys have knowledge in the ever-changing Social Security Disability laws. Because of this, your Medford disability lawyer will understand how the facts that pertain to your disability case are affected by the laws that are currently in place. Because of this, your Medford Social Security attorney will be better able to present your case in the best light possible for the administrative law judge who is in charge of your disability hearing.
Click here if you would like to request a free evaluation of your Social Security Disability case and to learn more about hiring a Medford Social Security Disability lawyer to represent you in your disability claim.
