Fort Walton Beach Social Security Disability Lawyers

Determining If You’re Eligible for SSDI & SSI Benefits

When you’ve been injured or diagnosed with a permanent disability, maintaining gainful employment can be difficult if not impossible. Social Security Disability Income (SSDI) or Supplemental Security Income (SSI) may be able to help you gain financial stability. You aren’t guaranteed SSDI or SSI benefits, though, and the process to apply for them can be complicated.

Hire the Fort Walton Beach Social Security Disability attorneys of Michles & Booth today. We are here to guide you through the complex SSD systems put in place by the Social Security Administration (SSA). Our goal from the first time we speak will be to secure the financial support that you need to live comfortably after a disability turned your life upside-down.

Call (850) 204-4144 or contact us online to request a no-cost case consultation.

Qualifying for SSDI or SSI

If you can’t complete full-time work, can only complete lightwork, or can’t work at all due to a disability, then you might qualify for SSDI or SSI. Eligibility depends fully on the context of your case, though. Every detail can change your eligibility or the extent of your benefits. Furthermore, many people who do qualify for SSDI benefits will be denied the first time they apply due to a mistake on the application. For these reasons, it is highly recommended that you only apply with the help of an attorney from Michles & Booth, who can let you know if you qualify.

SSDI benefit eligibility in Florida usually involves:

• SSDI: Qualifying for SSDI requires that you have paid Federal Insurance Contribution Act (FICA) taxes and a qualifying medical condition or disability. If you are approved, then the benefits can be temporary or permanent.
• SSI: Without paying FICA taxes, you can still apply and qualify for Supplemental Security Income benefits if you have a qualifying medical condition or disability and make a low income.

SSDI Application Process

Allow our Fort Walton Beach Social Security Disability attorneys to walk you through the SSDI application process. We can make sure that no mistakes are made on your application that otherwise would have led to the application’s denial. If research is needed to complete the application or respond to inquiries, then you can trust us to handle that step as well.

The SSDI benefits process will usually include:

• Filling out an application with your work history, disability details, income earning ability, education, and so on.
• Submitting the application before any deadlines, which can be done via phone, online, or in-person drop-off at an SSA office.
• Responding to any inquiries from the SSA for more information about your disability.

When an SSDI claim is handled correctly and accepted quickly, it can still take up to three months before the SSA begins to provide the benefits.

Reasons for SSDI Claim Denials

The SSA can deny an SSDI claim for many reasons. Unfortunately, not all of them will be explained clearly and some might even be illegitimate based on the SSA’s own rules and regulations. If your claim has been denied, then please call(850) 204-4144 to talk with our Fort Walton Beach SSD attorneys right away. We might be able to challenge the denial for you.

Reasons the SSA denies SSDI claims vary but often include:

• Missing medical evidence: The SSA must be convinced by medical evidence that you have a disabling condition that qualifies for SSDI or SSI.
• No need for financial assistance: If you are still able to make a reasonable income after suffering a disabling condition, then the SSA could reject your application.
• No FICA tax contributions: Without enough contributions to FICA taxes through past wages, you won’t be able to qualify for SSDI. SSI could still be an option, though.

SSDI Claim Appeals

When an SSDI claim has been denied, it does not necessarily mean that the claim is finished. You could have a chance to appeal the denial and get the claim revisited. Our attorneys are familiar with both the initial filing process and the appellate process for SSDI claims. Trust our team with your case from start to finish, so you can focus on taking care of yourself.

To appeal a denied SSD claim, these steps must usually be taken:

1. Review the denial letter to determine why it was denied by the SSA.
2. Submit a Request for Reconsideration within 60 days of the denial letter.
3. File a Request for Hearing within 60 days (only if the Request for Reconsideration is denied).
4. Attend the Request for Reconsideration hearing before an Administrative Law Judge (ALJ).

Once an SSDI claim has been denied, it will extend the timeline of when you can first expect SSDI benefits. From start to finish, it might be longer than a year for you to get SSD benefits if it is denied and goes to a hearing before an ALJ.

Call Our Firm & Schedule a Free SSDI Consultation

Michles & Booth is standing by to help you with an SSD case. Our Fort Walton Beach SSDI attorneys can help with initial case filings, appeals, and much more. Your disability might have changed your life, but income benefits through government programs could help. Let’s see what we can do today to make your day-to-day feel okay again.

Contact us online or dial (850) 204-4144 to request a free case evaluation with our firm.

SSDI Resources

• Apply for Benefits
• Request a Reconsideration or Hearing
• SSDI Statute – CFR part 404
• Social Security Rulings
• Disability Evaluation “Blue Book”
• Medical Vocational Guidelines (GRIDs)
• Adult Listing of Impairments
• Get your Social Security Statement
• List of Social Security Forms
• Locate your local Social Security Office
• Information on Working with a Disability
• Appointed Representative Website
• Contact a Dedicated Social Security Representative
• Information about SSDI from Social Security Administration