.svg)
.svg)
How Our Crestview SSD Lawyers Can Help You
The Social Security application and appeals process is a bureaucratic maze. Our experienced attorneys manage this entire process for you, significantly increasing your chances of success at every critical stage.
1. Meticulous Preparation of Your Initial Application
Many claims are denied due to simple mistakes. We help you avoid these pitfalls by ensuring your application is accurate, complete, and compelling. We will help you gather all necessary medical evidence from your local doctors and specialists, compile your work history, and present your case in the strongest possible light. We handle the paperwork, whether you apply online or at the local SSA office, so it is done right the first time.
2. Aggressive Representation for Denied Claims & the Appeals Process
If your claim has been denied, do not give up. This is the most critical time to have an experienced SSD attorney on your side. We will guide you through the entire appeals process:
- Request for reconsideration: We file this formal request on your behalf within the strict 60-day deadline.
- Request for hearing: If the reconsideration is also denied, we will file a timely Request for Hearing. This is your opportunity to present your case in person to an Administrative Law Judge (ALJ). The wait for a hearing can be long, so it is vital that your case is perfectly prepared in the meantime.
- ALJ hearing representation: Our lawyers will represent you at the hearing, prepare you for the questions you will be asked, present all medical evidence, and make a persuasive legal argument for why you meet the SSA's strict definition of disability.
Understanding SSDI vs. SSI: Which Program Is Right for You?
The SSA offers two main disability programs. Our legal team will help you determine which program is appropriate for your situation.
Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI): For Crestview's Workforce
SSDI provides benefits to individuals who are disabled and have worked long enough to have paid Social Security (FICA) taxes. If you have worked consistently for several years at local businesses in Crestview, on Eglin AFB, or anywhere else, and your employer paid taxes out of your paycheck, you have likely paid into this system. Think of it as an insurance policy you have earned through your hard work.
Supplemental Security Income (SSI): A Needs-Based Program
SSI is a federal program designed to assist disabled individuals (including adults and children) with limited income and financial resources who have not paid enough FICA taxes to qualify for SSDI. To qualify for SSI, you must fall below a strict income and asset threshold.
Common Disabilities in Our Community
Our Crestview disability attorneys assist individuals with a wide range of conditions that prevent them from working. We have a deep understanding of how these conditions impact the lives of our clients in Okaloosa County. Common qualifying conditions include:
- Back, neck, and joint injuries: Debilitating conditions like herniated discs, degenerative disc disease, and severe arthritis that limit your ability to sit, stand, walk, or lift — common issues for those in physically demanding jobs.
- Service-connected disabilities & PTSD: We are proud to serve the many veterans in the Crestview community. You can receive both VA benefits and SSDI and SSI. We understand how to document service-connected injuries and mental health conditions like PTSD to build a strong case for the SSA.
- Mental health conditions: Severe depression, anxiety, and bipolar disorder can be just as disabling as physical impairments, affecting your ability to concentrate, interact with others, and handle workplace stress.
- Musculoskeletal disorders: Conditions like fibromyalgia and carpal tunnel syndrome can make it impossible to perform the physical or fine motor tasks required by many jobs.
- Heart disease & cardiovascular conditions: Serious heart conditions that significantly limit your physical exertion and ability to maintain employment.
- Cancer: The disease itself and the exhausting side effects of treatments can make sustained work impossible.
- Neurological disorders: Conditions like Multiple Sclerosis (MS), Parkinson's disease, and epilepsy that have a progressive impact on your physical and cognitive abilities.
