We Will Help You Get Social Security Disability (SSD) Benefits
Are you disabled and unable to work? Have you filed for Social Security Disability only to have your benefits denied? The important thing is that you retain an experienced Social Security disability lawyer to assist you in your claim.
Disability can pose an insurmountable obstacle to earning a living and providing for your family. Marc Whitehead & Associates assists clients nationwide facing SSDI denials after an initial claim with the government.
Your Social Security Disability Lawyers
The law firm of Whitehead & Associates is prepared to help you navigate the Social Security system.
Founding partner Marc Whitehead is Board Certified in Social Security Disability Law by the National Board of Social Security Disability Advocacy. We handle cases from the initial application stage through administrative hearings and federal court.
Why is this important? Learn why all SSD Advocates do NOT offer equal representation.
With a skilled Social Security disability lawyers at your side throughout the process, we will advocate on your behalf for the benefits you need. Fees for representation in these cases are set by the SSA. It will not cost you more to have a Board Certified Social Security Disability Lawyer representing you.
Don’t Give Up After SSDI Denials! Most Cases Are Won On Appeal.
The biggest mistake people make after SSDI denials is they don’t file an appeal, or don’t file it in time. The truth is that the majority of applicants that do appeal their case properly, end up winning.
The key to winning a disability case is to keep appealing:
- In the Reconsideration stage of appeal, we can submit crucial, additional evidence that was probably missing during the initial determination.
- In the ALJ hearing, we are able to present live witness testimony, cross-examine the government’s expert witnesses, and argue your case to the judge.
- If you have exhausted all administrative Social Security appeals, we can appeal your case in federal court.
Proving Disability for Different Medical Conditions
SSA evaluates your claim by focusing on your capacity to work. Even so, your limitations must have basis in a medical or mental health condition.
When the SSA reviews your case, it will compare your condition to those on their master list called the Listing of Impairments.
SSA views these impairments to be severe enough to prevent you from working full-time. If your condition meets or equals the strict criteria for a medical listing, you are automatically eligible for social security disability benefits.
Here is the reality: it can be very difficult to meet the specific rules published by SSA for medical listings. However, you may be awarded benefits based on a medical-vocational allowance.
A medical-vocational allowance considers your
- age
- education
- work skills
- level of functional limitation
In fact, most Social Security Disability claims that are approved for benefits are based on medical-vocational allowance.
What if Your Condition Is Not on SSA’s Listing?
Not all conditions – such as fibromyalgia or chronic fatigue – are on the SSA Listing of Impairments. In such cases, you must prove that your disability has made it impossible for you to do any work.
The key point is that every claim must be fully prepared with sufficient medical records, the necessary input from your doctors, and vocational evidence – which together prove that you are unable to function in the workplace.
Should You Hire an Attorney?
Most Social Security Disability applications are denied. Why?
Most claimants have no idea how to evaluate their medical records, or what questions to ask their doctor. They do not understand what an examiner or a judge will be looking for with a particular medical condition, or how to fully prepare a disability case for a hearing.
Dealing with a government bureaucracy like the Social Security Administration is difficult, and is especially hard on those who struggle with disabilities.
While it hardly seems fair that anyone should need to hire an attorney to win the disability benefits he or she deserves, this is the reality of Social Security’s complicated disability process.
Less than one of every three claims not represented by an attorney succeeds in being approved. With attorney representation, the number of successful Social Security Disability claims doubles.
Getting Your Social Security Disability Benefits
The basis for winning your SSD claim is the accurate preparation of the application and the detailed presentation of your medical evidence of disability. Our attorneys and legal staff excel in these areas and leave no details unattended.
To each claim we handle, we bring:
- Knowledge – We know what it takes to win your claim, and what the SSA is looking for.
- Collaboration – We help your doctors prepare their medical evidence most effectively.
- Preparation – We help bring forth new evidence, both medical and vocational; we know exactly how to prepare for disability hearings.
- Presentation – We will demonstrate exhibits and documentation to the judge in a way that substantiates your claim.
- Advocacy – Medical or vocational witnesses may challenge you at the disability hearing. You need a skilled attorney on your side to defend your case.
- Urgency – We will help you avoid costly delays.
- Our reputation – With over 20 years helping claimants, we are known and respected for excellent communication with the Social Security Administration.
What We Do to Win Your Social Security Disability Case
Every client is different and has different needs. As your attorneys, below are just some of the things we may do to help you with your claims:
- Aid you in filling out all SSA forms
- Evaluate your claim and advise you on the law and your options
- Review your medical records and make suggestions for any additional testing required to prove your case
- Supplement your claim file with additional medical records
- File any appeals necessary and handle all SSA paperwork
- Obtain medical reports and opinion evidence regarding your disability
- Consult with qualified Vocational Experts to get opinion evidence rebutting the ALJ called Vocational Experts
- Obtain and develop evidence regarding your “Residual Functional Capacity” that is the key to your disability claim
- Correctly calculate your SSD benefits
- File a legal brief arguing the legal, medical and vocational issues in your case
- File a lawsuit in Federal Court if necessary
- Filing your motion for summary judgment and responding to the government’s motion for summary judgment filed against you.
When you need knowledgeable, serious legal advice, talk to the Social Security disability lawyers at Marc Whitehead & Associates. Call us today at 800-562-9830.
