Applying for Social Security disability benefits requires patience and the understanding that you are working with government bureaucracy. Many people hire Social Security disability attorneys to help them make sense of all of the red tape. Granting of benefits is not guaranteed, but here is the basic process to follow when applying for your benefits.
1. Your initial application for Social Security disability benefits should be completed on the SSA website. If completing the application online is unavailable or too difficult you may request an appointment with your regional or Atlanta, Georgia Social Security office and they will help you either in the office or over the phone. In addition, you may fill out the form on this page and request a FREE Social Security disability evaluation and the Social Security Team at the Cochran Firm Disability Lawyers can assist you.
Mistakes can lead to delays and denials.
If you sign with the Cochran Firm Disability Lawyers we will provide you with a toll-free number to call to ask advice when filling out the stack of paperwork. We will not charge you a fee if you do not win your disability benefits so why wait until after you have been denied? Fill out the form now.
There are two forms that must be completed for a children's Social Security disability application but only one of them, the Child Disability Report, can be completed online. If you are applying for disability for a child, you will need to call your local Social Security office and request an appointment to complete the second form, however the process can either take place either over the phone or with an in-office visit.
2. A couple weeks after your initial application you will receive by mail a long application form to be completed and returned. In typical government fashion, a couple weeks after returning the first form you will receive another one to complete and return. Both forms have time limits to be returned by so now is not the time to procrastinate.
3. Once both forms are completed the SSA will attempt to gather medical records from you doctors and verify the information submitted. During their fact-finding they may also request that you undergo tests or be examined by a doctor of their choice. These examinations are usually paid for by the Social Security Administration.
4.
Usually about 3 months, but maybe even as late as 8 months after
you initially applied, the Social Security should make a
determination of your benefits. They will send you a letter
stating their decision. If you are approved, you should begin
receiving your benefit checks about two months later.
Click HERE for information on
appealing a denial.
There are many rules for each Social Security disability program that decide
which situations are eligible and the details can get very complicated very
quickly. In addition, the preparation and demonstration of the facts of your
particular situation also have a large influence on the outcome. Proper
presentment of your illness or injury can mean the difference between receiving
a lifetime of payments or a lifetime of bills!
The Cochran Firm Disability Lawyers' Social Security disability Attorneys in Atlanta, Georgia can evaluate your
disability situation free of charge to you. And if you choose us to assist you
in developing your application, the Cochran Firm Disability Lawyers will do its best to make sure
you get the Social Security benefits you deserve. Our Social Security disability
lawyers know how to help
you.
Social Security disability benefits are expected to be paid for an extended
period of time, usually not less than twelve months.
Substantial evidence of the disability is
required over some time period before benefits are granted. One office told us
that applications for conditions such as heart problems may
automatically be held up for three months to see if the person
improves. Applying
requires work, needs a lot of properly written documentation, and often means
appealing preliminary refusals in order to get the benefits granted. Mistakes in
the application can lead to rejections, costly delays and even require starting
all over again. Nearly 65% of all applicants are declined the first time they
apply, although many of them are later granted benefits on appeal.
At the Cochran Firm Disability Lawyers we are extremely familiar with the paperwork and procedure
from preliminary application all the way through the multiple disability appeals. If you
would like assistance with your preliminary application, get in touch with us or
fill out the form on this web page to receive a free of charge evaluation of
your disability. We have an office in Atlanta staffed by Social Security
disability lawyers who live in or near Atlanta, Georgia.
There is no fee unless you win your Social Security disability case. Submit the form to start.
There is no fee unless you win your benefits. You have
nothing to lose. Fill out the form today to get started!
Click here for an Atlanta, Georgia Resource Guide written especially to help people living in Georgia who suffer from disabilities.