Nashua Social Security Attorney
Many of the hard-working New Hampshire residents who live and work in Nashua understand that taxes are taken from their checks to go towards the Social Security system. They understand that when they retire, these Social Security benefits will help support them. They also understand that Social Security benefits are supposed to be there for them in the event of a long-term or permanent disability. What they don't understand is the fact that should a disability arise, getting the disability benefits that they are entitled to isn't as easy as they might think. In fact, the Social Security Administration denies approximately 70 percent of the claims received each year. If you want to increase your chances of being among the applicants whose benefits are awarded to them, you may need the services of a Nashua Social Security Disability attorney.
The economy of Nashua is flourishing and benefits from much diversity. The retail, entertainment and dining sectors play a large role in the downtown district. The city is a virtual shopping mecca, with commercial districts located on Amherst Street and Daniel Webster Highway. The high-tech and defense industries also play a large role in the area's economic well-being with BAE Systems and Nashua Corp both providing a large number of jobs to Nashua-area residents. The city's median household income is nearly $60,000 while the annual cost of living index is just 18 percent above the national average.
Applying for Nashua Social Security Disability Benefits
Nashua is home to nearly 87,000 New Hampshire residents. In the State of New Hampshire, approximately 4.7 percent of the population receives Social Security Disability benefits. The average disability payment for a New Hampshire Social Security Disability beneficiary is $1,077.60. While this monthly payment can significantly help with the financial hardship that can be caused by a long-term or permanent disability, the truth is that it will take most Nashua disability applicants a year or more before seeing their first disability payment from the Social Security Administration.
Why does it take so long for a Nashua Social Security Disability applicant to begin receiving payments from the Social Security Administration? Isn't the claim process only supposed to take three to six months to complete? While it is true that the initial claim process for disability benefits only takes approximately three to six months, the truth of the matter is that the majority of these claims are denied. This results in the need for a disability appeal, which usually means waiting for a hearing in front of an administrative law judge.
When a Nashua disability applicant appeals a denied Social Security Disability claim, there are two appeal stages that they will normally have to go through. The first is called a Request for Reconsideration. Nearly 90 percent of these requests are not granted by the Social Security Administration. The second stage of appeals is the disability hearing, in which the applicant appears before an administrative law judge to plead his or her case. The office that is in charge of scheduling the hearings for Nashua disability applicants is located in Manchester, Massachusetts. It takes this office an average of 412 days to schedule a hearing for a Nashua Social Security Disability applicant. Once the hearing has been conducted, it takes another two to three months before the applicant is notified regarding the outcome of that hearing.
Hiring a Nashua Disability Attorney
If you do not want to wait two years or more for your Social Security Disability Insurance or Supplemental Security Income to begin, you need to retain the services of a Nashua Social Security Disability lawyer prior to filing your initial Social Security Disability claim. The professional you work with can help you with the claim paperwork, ensuring that all of your application questions are answered properly and that you have submitted enough evidence to prove your disability to the Social Security Administration. If, for some reason, your initial claim is not successful, your Nashua Social Security attorney can represent you through each stage of the appeal process.
It is crucial to the outcome of your disability case that you have a Nashua Social Security lawyer representing you at your disability hearing. Studies have shown that applicants who are represented by a lawyer are more likely to be awarded disability benefits than applicants who are not. Fortunately, the services of a Nashua disability attorney do not have to be cost prohibitive.
A Nashua disability lawyer will work on a contingency basis. This means that they will collect 25 percent of the back pay that you are awarded by the Social Security Administration (up to an amount of $6,000). For example, if the SSA awards you $20,000 in back payments, you would receive $15,000 of that amount and your attorney would receive the other $5,000 (the 25 percent fee). No matter how much you receive in back pay from the SSA, your lawyer's fee will never exceed the $6,000 cap. If you do not win your case, your lawyer does not collect a fee for his or her services.
A Nashua disability lawyer can also help disability applicants in the areas of Concord, Keene, Littleton, Manchester, and Portsmouth.
If you are interested in obtaining a free evaluation of your Social Security Disability case or wish to get more information about hiring a Nashua Social Security Disability attorney to assist you in your disability claim, simply fill out the form for a free case evaluation.
