San Diego Social Security Attorney
San Diego residents who suffer from long-term or permanent disabilities may face serious financial hardship due to their inability to generate an income due to the disability and ever-mounting medical bills. In some cases, Social Security Disability benefits can help alleviate some of the financial stress caused by a disability, but an overwhelming 70 percent of disability applications are denied at the initial stage of the claim process. Hiring a San Diego Social Security lawyer to represent you in your disability case may increase your chances of a successful application and, if necessary, a successful appeal.
San Diego's economy is led by the manufacturing industry, with shipbuilding and repair, computers, industrial machinery, metal production and toy and sporting goods manufacturing being the primary contributors. International trade is also an important factor in the city's economy. It is estimated that 37 percent of San Diego's manufacturing dollars come from International trade endeavors. This is largely due to the fact that a major port lies on the shores of San Diego, which is home to the only submarine and shipbuilding yards on the West Coast.
Applying for San Diego Social Security Disability Benefits
San Diego is home to 1,336,865 residents. It is estimated that approximately 3 percent of these individuals receive Social Security Disability benefits. Unfortunately, about 70 percent of the Social Security Disability claims received in San Diego are denied at the initial stage of the Social Security Disability application process. This is due largely in part to the fact that many applicants do not understand how to submit their applications along with their supporting evidence in a way that will prove their disability to the Social Security office.
Hiring a San Diego Disability Attorney
Hiring a San Diego disability attorney to represent you during your disability claim can increase your chances of a successful application. A San Diego disability attorney will understand the evidence needed by the SSA to approve your claim and will be able to display that evidence in a way that will most likely result in an approval of your initial application. If, for some reason, your initial application for benefits is denied, your San Diego Social Security attorney can represent your interests during the appeal process.
It is estimated that the average processing time for disability applications in San Diego is 18.4 months. This could mean nearly one and a half years of no income if you are completely unable to work due to your disability. Hiring a San Diego Social Security Disability attorney may increase your chances of receiving an approval for disability benefits earlier in the application process, reducing the amount of time you need to wait for payments to begin.
If your initial claim for disability benefits is denied, your Social Security Disability lawyer will submit a Request for Reconsideration. Unfortunately, this request will likely be denied. In fact, fewer than twenty percent of Requests for Reconsideration are approved by the SSA. That does not mean, however, that you should give up hope for receiving disability benefits.
If your request for reconsideration is denied, your San Diego disability attorney will request a hearing. This is the stage of the appeal where you have the best chance of having the decision to deny your benefits overturned. Nearly two-thirds of disability hearings result in a favorable decision for the disability applicant. Your chances of being approved at the hearing level are even greater with proper legal representation.
If your hearing does not result in an approval of disability benefits, your San Diego Social Security Disability attorney may go on to request a review from SSA’s Appeals Council. This is yet another stage of the appeal process that does not result in many approvals, but is a necessary step if you want to take your disability case before the Federal District Court.
If your San Diego Social Security Disability lawyer feels that you have a strong disability case, even though it has been denied by the Appeals Council, he or she may choose to appeal to the Federal District Court. This can be a lengthy and time-consuming process, but may result in the eventual approval of your disability claim.
If you are interested in obtaining an evaluation of your Social Security Disability case, click here for your free case evaluation or to get more information about hiring a San Diego disability attorney.
A San Diego Social Security Disability lawyer will also handle disability claims in the following cities located in San Diego County, Imperial County, Orange County, and Riverside County: Chula Vista, National City, Imperial Beach, Lemon Grove, Spring Valley, La Mesa, El Cajon, Santee, Winter Garden, Poway, Encinitas, Carlsbad, Oceanside, San Marcos, Escondido, La Presa, and Jamul.
