Santa Barbara Social Security Attorney
Each time a Santa Barbara worker receives a paycheck from their employer, that worker pays a portion of their check towards the Social Security Administration. Because these workers pay their dues, they expect that Social Security Disability benefits will be there for them when and if the need should ever arise. Unfortunately, actually being approved for the benefits that these workers need when a disability does arise is much harder than one would expect. While the initial application process only takes three to six months to complete, the average Santa Barbara disability applicant is denied during this stage of the claim process. If you want to increase your chances of being approved for the Social Security Disability payments that you are entitled to, you may want to consider retaining the services of a qualified Santa Barbara Social Security Disability Attorney.
Santa Barbara has a diverse economy, although much of the area's economic well-being is fueled by the tourism industry. A regular inflow of tourists have made the hospitality industry one of the leading players in the economy of the city. However, tourism is far from being the only player in the Santa Barbara area. Science, technology, education and finance also play roles in the economic well-being of the city.
Applying for Santa Barbara Social Security Disability Benefits
Santa Barbara is home to more than 90,000 California residents. In the State of California, approximately 2.9 percent of the population receives disability benefits from the Social Security Administration. The average disability payment received by a California disability beneficiary is $1,083.80 per month. While this monthly benefit can significantly offset some of the financial stress that is caused by a disabling condition, most Santa Barbara Social Security Disability applicants must wait two years or more before seeing a single payment from the Social Security Administration.
Why does it take so long for most Santa Barbara disability applicants to begin receiving Social Security Disability benefits? The extensive waiting periods are due to the fact that the majority of disability claims are denied by the SSA during the initial stage of the application process. These applicants must then pursue a lengthy and drawn out disability appeal in order to obtain the benefits they need. This appeal normally consists of a Request for Reconsideration and a hearing before an administrative law judge. The problem is, it takes more than a year for a Santa Barbara disability applicant to be scheduled for such a hearing.
The office that is in charge of scheduling the hearings for Santa Barbara disability applicants is known as the Office of Disability Adjudication and Review (ODAR). Due to the backlog of Social Security Disability appeals, it takes the Santa Barbara ODAR office an average of 408 days to schedule a disability hearing for a Santa Barbara disability applicant. Once the hearing has been conducted, it takes another two or three months before the applicant is notified regarding the outcome of the hearing.
When you consider the fact that the initial disability claim process takes three to six months to complete and the Request for Reconsideration takes another three to six months to process, that means that many disability applicants are already six months or one year into the disability claim process before they even request a disability hearing. Waiting another 408 days for a disability hearing and another two to three months for a hearing outcome can cause significant financial strain. Because of this, many Santa Barbara Social Security Disability applicants wonder if there is any way to avoid the process of a disability appeal.
Fortunately, in many cases, the services of a qualified Santa Barbara Social Security attorney can help increase your chances of being awarded benefits during the initial stage of the disability application process. This means that you can begin receiving benefits in a matter of months rather than waiting two years or more before seeing your first disability payment.
Hiring a Santa Barbara Disability Attorney
When you hire a Santa Barbara Social Security lawyer to help you with your disability claim, he or she will go over your case with you, will help you fill out the application paperwork properly and will ensure that you have all of the medical evidence that you need in order to prove your case to the Social Security Administration. If, for some reason, your disability claim is still denied, your Santa Barbara disability attorney can represent you through each stage of your disability appeal.
A Santa Barbara disability attorney can also handle disability claims in the areas of Chatsworth, Oxnard, San Luis Obispo, Santa Maria, Thousand Oaks and Ventura.
Click here if you would like to request a free evaluation of your Social Security Disability case and to learn more about hiring a Santa Barbara disability lawyer to represent you in your Social Security Disability claim.
