Springdale Social Security Attorney
In 2011 there were millions of Social Security Disability claims received by the Social Security Administration. Unfortunately, many of these applicants were unpleasantly surprised when their applications were denied. The truth is that approximately 60 percent of the initial disability claims that are received each year are denied by the Social Security Administration. The applicants who are denied benefits must pursue the lengthy and stressful disability appeal process in order to obtain the disability benefits that they need in order to make ends meet. This process can take some applicants more than two years to complete. If you are in need of disability benefits in the Springdale, Arkansas area then you may want to retain the services of a qualified Springdale, Arkansas Social Security Disability attorney in order to increase your chances of receiving benefits during the initial stage of the application process.
The economy of Springdale, Arkansas is flourishing when compared to most areas of the United States. The unemployment rate is only 6.8 percent in Springdale as opposed to the 9.10 percent national average and while the majority of the nation has been seeing negative job growth, Springdale had experienced a job growth of nearly 3 percent in 2011. The median household income in Springdale is nearly $37,000 while the cost of living index is 12 percent lower than the national average.
Applying for Springdale Social Security Disability Benefits
There are almost 70,000 Arkansas residents who call Springdale home. In the State of Arkansas, approximately 99,600 people receive Social Security Disability benefits. The average monthly disability payment in the United States is approximately $1,000. Unfortunately it will take a Springdale resident approximately two years to receive their first Social Security Disability payment. Springdale residents who are applying for Social Security Disability benefits will normally deal with the Little Rock, Arkansas ODAR office. It takes this office an average of 386 days to process a request for a disability hearing. This 386-day time period does not count the time that it takes for an applicant to complete the initial application process and the Request for Reconsideration stage of appeals.
While the initial application process for Social Security Disability benefits only takes three to six months to complete, most applications are denied by the Social Security Administration during the initial stage of the application process. As stated previously, approximately 60 percent of disability applicants must file an appeal in order to obtain the disability benefits they are entitled to. Because of this, it is in an applicant's best interests to retain the services of a qualified Springdale Social Security Disability lawyer. The services of such a professional can increase an applicant’s chances of receiving an approval of benefits during the initial stage of the application process or, if necessary, successfully overturning the SSA’s decision to deny a disability claim.
Hiring a Springdale Disability Attorney
When you hire a Springdale Social Security attorney, your attorney will go over your disability claim with you and will help you gather the medical evidence that you will need in order to prove your disability to the Social Security Administration. Your lawyer can also help you prepare your disability application paperwork, which will ensure that your claim is presented in the best light possible to the SSA adjudicator who will be in charge of reviewing your disability file. This will increase your chances of receiving an approval of your initial disability claim.
If your initial claim for disability benefits is denied, a Springdale Social Security lawyer will work with you to appeal the SSA’s decision to deny your Social Security Disability benefits. For most Springdale disability applicants the appeal process will consist of a reconsideration request and a disability hearing before an administrative law judge.
While it will be necessary for your lawyer to submit a request for reconsideration to the SSA, it is important to understand that fewer than 20 percent of reconsideration requests are actually granted. The stage of appeals that you and your lawyer will be focusing on is the hearing stage of the appeal process. Because it takes 386 days before a Springdale disability applicant can be scheduled for a hearing before an administrative law judge, it is crucial that you do everything that you can to ensure that your hearing goes as smoothly as possible. This means working with your Springdale disability attorney so that you can gather additional medical evidence for the administrative law judge to review and, if necessary, retaining expert witnesses to testify on your behalf.
Your Springdale disability attorney will also prepare you for your hearing on a personal level. He or she can help you understand what to expect at your hearing and how to answer the questions that are asked by the administrative law judge. Many Social Security Disability applicants question whether or not they actually need legal representation at this hearing. The truth is, statistics have shown that applicants who obtain legal representation are much more likely to be awarded benefits than those who do not.
If you are interested in obtaining an evaluation of your Social Security Disability case, click here for your free Social Security Disability evaluation and to get more information about hiring a Springdale Social Security Disability attorney.
